Men, Women, and PSA: What You Need to Know to Save A Life

Jed is author of Male Menopause & The Irritable Male Syndrome. Sign up for the free e-newsletter at www.MenAlive.com

Although many men forget their anniversary date, most of us remember our birth date. I’m 12-21-43 in case anyone wants to send me a present. Most women remember their anniversary date, birth date and a whole lot more. There’s another number that all men, and the women who love them, should know. That’s their PSA number. So what’s your PSA? Mine is 2.3 at last testing, but has been as high as 8. What’s PSA and why is it important? Read on.

The PSA test, first approved by the FDA in 1986 as a way to monitor treatment of prostate cancer, is now widely used as a tool to screen for the presence of prostate cancer. Thousands of men, including public figures, have had their prostate cancer diagnosed with the help of this test (which measures prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced in the prostate and released into the blood).

The Advantages of PSA Testing

According to a recent report from Johns Hopkins Medical Center, clinical studies have demonstrated the following benefits of PSA testing: 1) An elevated PSA is the single best predictor of the presence of prostate cancer; 2) PSA testing detects prostate cancer about 5 to 10 years earlier than digital rectal exams; 3) Most prostate cancers detected with PSA testing are curable; and 4) Serial PSA testing of a population leads to virtual elimination of advanced prostate cancer at the time of diagnosis.

In other words, if you get regular tests you’re likely to find any cancer early on and it can be treated effectively.

Another advantage I found was that an elevated PSA may mean that you may be in danger of getting cancer. When my PSA jumped from 2 to 8 over a period of 3 years, my doctor put me on a regimen of herbs to prevent prostate cancer. After a year on the herbs my levels were back to normal.

The Disadvantages of PSA Testing

The disadvantages boil down to two: False negatives and false positives. False negatives mean that you have a low PSA which would indicate no cancer, but in fact you do have cancer. This problem can be eliminated by re-testing on a regular basis. False positives mean that you might have a high PSA indicative of possible cancer, but you don’t really have cancer. You might then be told you need an expensive biopsy to check for cancer, a procedure you may not really need. The key here is to stay focused on your own needs and not get pushed into other treatments until you’ve checked them out for yourself.

What Should You Do?

The American Cancer Society and American Urological Association recommend an annual PSA test beginning at age 50. Men at increased risk for prostate cancer—African-American men and men with a family history of the disease—should begin annual PSA screening at age 40 or 45.

A recent study by H. Ballentine Carter, M.D, Professor of Urology and Oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, found that PSA testing for all men at age 40, age 45, and then every other year after age 50 may be a better strategy—it saved more lives and was less expensive. Another recent study suggests that men age 50 and older who have PSA levels below 2 ng/mL do not need annual testing.

Why You Should You Do It?

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that during 2007 about 218,890 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. Yet only 27,050 will die of prostate cancer. About 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only 1 man in 34 will die of it.

Many of us have the fear that if we are diagnosed with prostate cancer, we’re going to die and as a result we ignore the problem and put off being tested. But look at it this way. If you test regularly after age 50, 5 out of 6 guys will never have cancer. Those are good odds. If you’re one of the guys who does get cancer, you have 33 chances out of 34 of living to tell the story. Even better odds.

So, if you’re a guy have you been tested? Do you know what you’re PSA number is? My wife always tells me when I come back from my yearly checkup that she finds a man who takes care of his health very sexy. Another good reason to get your numbers checked.

To review: Jed’s birthday is 12-21-43. Jed’s PSA is 2.3