PSA general: characteristic and norm

Prostatic specific antigen is a substance in the blood of a man. Its concentration can vary depending on what changes are in the state of the prostate. The analysis is usually used not only to detect prostate cancer, but also to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment for this disease.

The blood test has two varieties:

• PSA general;
• PSA is free.

As a rule, the doctor gives an appointment for the first. Significantly less often, in order to clarify the diagnosis, it may be necessary to determine also free PSA. The common norm for all is an indicator from zero to four ng per milligram. But for 40-year-old men, a certain value of PSA analysis is recommended. Norm - no more than two and a half, and for fifty-year-olds - no more than three and a half.

Why does the PSA analysis increase overall?

First, a significant or even inessential change in the indicator occurs in connection with inflammation due to prostatitis, or because of the presence of benign prostatic hyperplasia (adenoma).

Secondly, a temporary increase in PSA analysis may be related to mechanical effects on the prostate (massage, biopsy, cystoscopy, catheterization, and so on).

Thirdly, greater severity and stability with an increase in the analysis is observed with prostate cancer.

Rules that must be observed when the PSA is given:

• You can not take it immediately after eating, it's better to do it on an empty stomach.
• Performing is recommended two weeks after the mechanical treatment (prostate massage, cystoscopy or bladder catheterization), and after a prostate biopsy in just a month.
• The doctor must be informed about what medicines were taken, as well as the presence of previously identified prostate diseases (prostatitis and adenoma).

Often there are situations where there is a need to do additional analysis - free. The referral is given by the doctor when the PSA total varies from four to ten ng per milligram and there is a doubt that a prostate biopsy is necessary . Because at a rate of more than ten ng per milligram, free PSA is not given for the analysis, and the patient is immediately sent for biopsy.

We must keep in mind the following exceptions to the basic regularity.

First, there is a possibility that there is prostate cancer even when the PSA total has a score below four points. Usually, he is diagnosed by a doctor when there is a condensation in the prostate, determined only through the rectum in a man who is over fifty years old.

Secondly, there is an increase in the total PSA index, and there are seals in the prostate. But this is not always an absolute sign that there is cancer.

Thirdly, situations where the PSA total is high and the biopsy does not show the presence of prostate cancer are quite frequent. The fact is that the last analysis does not always reveal the presence of a small tumor. Therefore, in three months it is necessary to do a repeated biopsy. And, not ordinary, but only applying ultrasound guidance, which will "focus" the instrument on the desired area more accurately than a normal finger. In this case, the combination of indicators (PSA general and special biopsy) is very accurate in diagnosing prostate cancer.

Fourth, in the appointment of hormonal treatment for metastatic prostate cancer, a control cut is recommended, that is, a PSA total at least once every three months.

Naturally, such nuances must be taken into account in the process of diagnosis and treatment of any prostate diseases.

Be healthy!