Did you know that prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men in the US? It is a type of cancer that affects the prostate gland of males. It doesn’t cause any symptoms until it reaches advanced stages. Its treatment also has some side effects that can outweigh the benefits. So, it must be detected earlier and treated. For that, prostate cancer screening can be helpful. Learn what increases your risk of prostate cancer and what to expect from prostate cancer screening in this article. If you want to know more about prostate health, visit us at Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center and consult with the best nephrologists and urologists in East New York.

Risks for prostate cancer

While every man may be at risk of prostate cancer, several factors can increase your risk of developing prostate cancer, including:

• Age: Prostate cancer risk increases when you get 50 or older.
• Family history: If your close relatives, like your father, brother, or grandfather have prostate cancer then you have a high risk.
• Ethnicity: For some men, ethnicity can increase the risk of prostate cancer. African American men have a higher risk of prostate cancer than other ethnic backgrounds.
• Diet: A diet high in red meat and high-fat dairy products and low in fruits and vegetables may increase the risk of prostate cancer.
• Obesity: Some studies found a connection between obesity and an elevated risk of prostate cancer.

Screening options

There are two types of screening tests used for prostate cancer – a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE). Research reveals that the PSA blood test is more effective for detecting prostate cancer. However, the DRE can find cancer in people with normal PSA levels. That’s why many doctors recommend both. Keep in mind that neither test confirms you have prostate cancer, which is why they’re considered screening tests rather than diagnostic tests.

1. PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test:

This test is used to measure the levels of PSA in the blood, a protein produced by the prostate gland. This test result is used as a gauge that you need more testing to confirm. In this test, the doctor will take a blood sample from your arm vein and send it to a lab for analysis.

High PSA levels indicate the likelihood of prostate cancer. However, it doesn’t help to determine whether or not you have prostate cancer.

If you have a high PSA, you may need further testing like a prostate biopsy, MRI, or other lab tests to determine if you have prostate cancer or not. Certain factors like age or race also affect PSA levels. Some people’s prostate glands produce more PSA than others. Factors that affect your PSA levels are:

• Certain medical procedures
• Certain medications
• An enlarged prostate
• A prostate infection

As these factors affect your PSA levels, it’s best that you ask the doctor to interpret your PSA test results.

• Digital rectal exam (DRE):

In this test, your doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to feel for any irregularities or abnormalities in the size, shape, or texture of the gland. If they feel hard, lumpy, or bumps around the gland, then it indicates prostate cancer. The US Preventive Services Task Force doesn’t recommend this screening test because it lacks evidence of the benefits.

What should you expect during a prostate exam?

Before the prostate exam, you need a little preparation like telling your doctor if you have any existing conditions that can cause discomfort like hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and anal tears. Besides that, your doctor may ask you to avoid sex for 48 hours (about 2 days) before the prostate exam because ejaculation can increase your PSA levels to increase temporarily, which can affect your test results.

You don’t need to change your bathroom habits before the exam. However, if you feel like you need to poop before the exam, then you should. Otherwise, a prostate exam doesn’t make you feel like you should. And if you poop during your prostate exam, you don’t need to be embarrassed. Doctors ensure that you’re comfortable during the process.

During the PSA blood test, you may feel a little prick when an injection needle is inserted into your skin to take the blood sample. During DRE you may feel uncomfortable, but often not painful and it only takes a few seconds to complete. Make sure you let your provider know if anything makes you uncomfortable during the exam.

What are the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening?

Prostate cancer screening has its pros and cons, including:

Pros

• Finding prostate cancers may put them an elevated risk of spreading so that they need to be treated before they spread. Screening is also helpful in lowering the chance of death from prostate cancer in some men.
• Some men also like to use screening to know if they have prostate cancer because early screening makes it easier to treat. Otherwise, treatment side effects may outweigh the benefits of early detection. Most prostate cancers progress slowly and don’t cause any symptoms until they reach advanced stages. And in some cases, they never advance to the point of causing problems. So, screening is an effective way to know whether you need other diagnostic tests or treatments.

Cons

The only cons of screening is it may sometimes produce false positive test results for people who may have an abnormal PSA test but don’t have prostate cancer. False positive test results only lead to unnecessary testing, like a biopsy of the prostate. It may cause men to worry about their health. Older men may get false positive test results more commonly.

Prostate cancer is a quite common type of cancer that occurs in men. Certain risk factors like age, diet, obesity, ethnicity, and genetics can increase the risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer symptoms don’t appear until it reaches its advanced stage. So, the only way to determine whether you have prostate cancer or not is a prostate cancer screening to detect it early and get treated. However, prostate cancer screening can’t give you prostate cancer so discuss whether you should consider prostate health screening or not to keep your prostate healthy.

Need help with prostate cancer screening, visit our men’s health expert in Brooklyn clinic to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!!! At Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center, our team of urologists will work with you in managing your disease and your quality of life. We also offer services, such as renal and bladder ultrasound. To schedule an appointment, please visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212 or call 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://www.urologistbrooklyn.com/.