Prostate cancer can often be found early by testing the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), discussed in detail below, in your blood. Prostate cancer may also be found on a digital rectal exam (DRE), in which your doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum. Because your prostate gland lies just in front of your rectum, the doctor can feel whether there are any bumps or hard areas in your prostate. If there are, you will need further testing to see if there is a cancer.
If you have routine yearly exams and either one of these test results becomes abnormal, then any cancer you might have has likely been found at an early, more treatable stage. Since the use of early detection tests for prostate cancer became fairly common (about 1990), the prostate cancer death rate has dropped. But it has not been proven that this is a direct result of screening. There are limits to the current screening methods.
Neither the PSA test nor the DRE is 100% accurate. Uncertain or false test results could cause confusion and anxiety. Some men might have a prostate biopsy (which carries its own small risks, along with discomfort) when cancer is not present, while others might get a false sense of security from normal test results when cancer is actually present. There is no question that the PSA test can help spot many prostate cancers early, but another important issue is that it can't tell how dangerous the cancer is. Finding and treating all prostate cancers early may seem like a no-brainer. But some prostate cancers grow so slowly that they would likely never cause problems. Because of an elevated PSA level, some men may be diagnosed with a prostate cancer that would never have caused any symptoms or lead to their death. But they may still be treated with either surgery or radiation, either because the doctor can't be sure how aggressive the cancer might be, or because the men are uncomfortable not having any treatment.
These treatments can have side effects that seriously affect a man's quality of life. Doctors and patients are still struggling to decide who should receive treatment and who might be able to be followed without being treated right away (an approach called "watchful waiting" or “expectant management”). Until more information is available, whether you have the tests is something for you and your doctor to decide. There are many factors to take into account, including your age and health. If you are young and develop prostate cancer, it will probably shorten your life if it is not caught early. If you are older or in poor health, then prostate cancer may never become a major problem because it is generally a slow-growing cancer.
For indepth information about Prostate Cancer please visit http://www.cancer.org
