PSA Test

SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER Many men with prostate cancer often have no symptoms. If symptoms
appear, they can include one or more of the following:

• Blood in the urine
• The need to urinate frequently, especially at night
• Weak or interrupted urine flow
• Pain or burning feeling while urinating
• Inability to urinate
• Constant pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs

The PSA test is a blood test that measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate. The levels of PSA in the blood can be higher in men who have prostate cancer. As a rule, the higher the PSA level in the blood, the more likely a prostate problem is present.

COMPLICATIONS OF PROSTATE CANCER Some prostate cancers become a serious threat to health by growing quickly, spreading beyond the prostate gland to other parts of the body, and causing death. Among the leading causes of cancer death in men, prostate cancer is second, behind lung cancer. When compared with all causes of death in men over age 45, prostate cancer ranks fifth.