There are certain factors that may increase the risk. As you get older, you are more likely to develop prostate cancer. Men over 50 are more likely to develop prostate cancer.
In men of African descent or African heritage, prostate cancer is more common, while Asian men are less likely to develop prostate cancer. A slightly increased risk of prostate cancer is present in men whose fathers or brothers had the disease.
A controversial issue is testing healthy men for prostate cancer who do not show any symptoms. Medical organizations disagree about whether the risks of testing outweigh the benefits of testing.
Prostate cancer screening is generally encouraged in medical organizations for men in their 50s. During your consultation, your risk status and screening preferences should be examined.
Black men, those with a history of prostate cancer in their family, and those with other risk factors might want to start these discussions sooner.
What is meant by Cancer screening?
Cancer screening external icon means looking for cancer before it causes symptoms. Testing for prostate cancer over 50 men screening aims to identify cancers that are likely to spread if untreated and to detect them before they develop.
Discuss your personal risk factors with your doctor if you are considering getting screened, and learn about the advantages and harms of diagnosis, screening, and treatment. Prostate cancer can’t be detected by a standard test.
These tests might be conducted as part of the prostate screening process:
Here are some common commonly used testing for prostate cancer. Almost all doctors use any of these testing techniques.
Digital rectal exam.
In a digital rectal exam, a doctor examines your prostate by inserting a lubricated finger in the rectum. The finger is usually covered with a glove. You may need further tests if your doctor finds anything abnormal about the gland.
Prostate-specific antigen test.
The prostate-specific antigen also called PSA, a substance naturally produced by the prostate gland, is measured in blood taken from a vein in your arm. PSA is normal to be in the bloodstream in small amounts. Nonetheless, a higher than normal level of this gene shows a prostate infection, enlargement, inflammation, or even cancer.
Prostate transrectal biopsy
Your doctor may recommend further tests to determine if you have prostate cancer, such as:
Ultrasound: A small ultrasound probe is inserted into your rectum during a transrectal ultrasound. This creates an image of your prostate gland using sound waves.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): To create a more detailed picture of the prostate, your doctor may suggest an MRI scan. A prostate biopsy may be planned using MRI images.
Sample collection. It may be necessary for your doctor to take a biopsy of your prostate to determine whether there are cancer cells there. It is common practice to insert a thin needle into the prostate to take prostate tissue for prostate biopsy. To determine whether cancer cells are present in a tissue sample, the sample is analyzed in a laboratory.
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