THE PROSTATE GLAND AND CANCER
The Prostate Gland lies under the bladder and encircles the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the bladder into the penis. It is about 3cm in diameter and produces fluid to nourish sperm in a man's ejaculate.
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Prostate Cancer (PCa) is the most common major cancer in UK men and the second male cancer killer, causing over 47,000 new presentations and over 1,800 deaths each year.
HOW WE SCREEN FOR PCA
Screening is done simply by a blood test called Prostate Specific Antigen (PSa), a protein only produced only by the prostate. Small amounts seep into the bloodstream and increase with age or if problems develop, such as benign enlargement ("hyperplasia" - BPH), inflammation ("Prostatitis"), infection or cancer. PSA is thus specific to the prostate but to no particular condition. PSA remains the only simple test available to detect PCa at an early, curable stage. About 1 in 3 men with raised PSA will have PCa and require further investigation.
WHO SHOULD CONSIDER SCREENING?
For all men, obtain a baseline PSA in your 40's to predict future risk then continue testing with frequency determined by your risk.
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Not Screening men below 40 or with less than 10 years life expectancy.
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Black men or mixed race men of African or Caribbean decent who have 1 in 4 lifetime risk of PCa and should start screening in their 40's.
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If your father, brother or uncles have PCa or there is breast cancer on your mothers side, your risk is at least doubled, so start screening in your 40's.