Where is psa made

Gov't Research Support, U. Gov't, P. Substances Prostate-Specific Antigen. Costs may include:. If you are age 50 to 74, you should discuss the PSA test with your doctor. Ask about the possible risks and benefits. Men under 50 or over 75 rarely need a PSA test, unless they have a high risk for prostate cancer. This report is for you to use when talking with your healthcare provider. It is not a substitute for medical advice and treatment.

Use of this report is at your own risk. The goal is to have a test that does a better job of telling the difference between non-serious, slow-growing prostate cancers and cancers that are fast growing and potentially life-threatening. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. What is a prostate-specific antigen PSA test? What is it used for?

Reasons for disagreement include: Most types of prostate cancer grow very slowly. It can take decades before any symptoms show up. Treatment of slow-growing prostate cancer is often unnecessary. Many men with the disease live long, healthy lives without ever knowing they had cancer. Treatment can cause major side effects, including erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

Fast-growing prostate cancer is less common, but more serious and often life-threatening. Age, family history, and other factors can put you at higher risk. But the PSA test alone can't tell the difference between slow- and fast-growing prostate cancer. To find out if PSA testing is right for you, talk to your health care provider. Why do I need a PSA test? You may get a PSA test if you have certain risk factors for prostate cancer.

If you have a high PSA level, your doctor will talk to you about your options. Together you will decide if you need other tests, procedures, follow-up care or treatment. The type of follow-up care you receive will depend on whether you have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The result of the follow-up PSA test is compared to the result of the first test. If the PSA level is still high, your doctor may use one of these follow-up procedures:. If your PSA level continues to rise or the doctor feels a lump on the prostate during a DRE, follow-up tests may also include:.

They can be used to follow up on a high PSA level. Researchers are also trying to find out if they can find prostate cancer better than with regular PSA testing. Serial PSA testing is mostly used to monitor your response to cancer treatment.

It is less useful at diagnosing prostate cancer. This is important because PSA levels tend to go up and down even if you don't have prostate cancer. But those with prostate cancer will have PSA levels that rise more quickly over time than those who don't have prostate cancer. The result is calculated in time. PSA doubling time can help doctors find out if a prostate cancer is aggressive, which means it is more likely to grow quickly and spread.

In the blood, PSA is either bound or free unbound. Bound PSA means that it is attached to other proteins. PSA that is not attached to other proteins is called free PSA because it circulates freely in the blood. Free PSA levels are often higher in those with non-cancerous conditions of the prostate and lower in those with prostate cancer.

Nomograms are statistical models that predict probable outcome. Prostate cancer nomograms look at PSA test results and several other factors, such as age, ethnicity, family history, urinary symptoms, DRE results and prostate biopsy results. The nomograms are then used to:. Researchers are studying nomograms to see how they can help doctors determine your risk of developing prostate cancer.

It is calculated by taking the PSA level and dividing by the prostate volume. PSA levels are usually higher in those with enlarged prostates.

PSAD of the transition zone the part of the prostate that surrounds the urethra is the level of PSA in the blood in relation to the volume of the transition zone of the prostate. PSAD of the transition zone is another test that some doctors may use to help decide whether or not to do a biopsy.