Screening for Prostate Cancer
Table of Contents
- Overview
-
What is screening?
- Purposes of this summary
- Prostate Cancer
-
Risk of prostate cancer
- Screening tests for prostate cancer
- To Learn More
What is screening?
Screening for cancer is examination (or testing) of people for early signs of a certain
type of cancer even though they have no symptoms. Scientists have studied patterns of
cancer in the population to learn which people are more likely to get certain types of
cancer. They have also studied what things around us and what things we do in our lives
may cause cancer. This information helps doctors recommend who should be screened for
certain types of cancer, what types of screening tests people should have, and how often
these tests should be done. Not all screening tests are helpful for all people, and some
have risks. For this reason, scientists at the National Cancer Institute are studying many
screening tests to find out how useful they are.
If your doctor suggests certain cancer screening tests as part of your health care
plan, this does not mean he or she thinks you have cancer. Screening tests are done when
you have no symptoms. Since decisions about screening can be difficult, you may want to
discuss them with your doctor and ask questions about the potential benefits and risks of
screening tests and whether they have been proven to decrease the risk of dying.
If you have signs or symptoms of cancer, your doctor will order certain tests to see
whether you have cancer. These are called diagnostic tests.
Purposes of this summary
The purposes of this summary on prostate cancer screening are to:
- give information on prostate cancer and what makes it more likely to occur (risk
factors)
- describe prostate cancer screening methods
- give current evidence about the effectiveness of screening tests
You can talk to your doctor or health care professional about cancer screening and
whether it would be likely to help you.
The prostate, a male sex gland involved in the production of semen, is located between
the bladder and the rectum. The prostate gland is the size of a walnut and surrounds the
urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder.
Risk of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in North American men (other than skin
cancer). It is the second leading cause of cancer death in men (after lung cancer). Both
the number of new cases of prostate cancer and the number of deaths due to prostate cancer
have increased in the past decade.
Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk
factor. Some of these risk factors for prostate cancer are as follows:
Age - Prostate cancer is rarely seen in men younger than 50 years old. The chance of
developing prostate cancer increases as men get older.
Race - Black males are more likely to develop prostate cancer than white males. Black
males are also more likely to die of prostate cancer than white males.
Family history of prostate cancer - A man whose father, brother, or son has had
prostate cancer has a higher-than-average risk of developing prostate cancer.
Other potential risk factors include alcohol consumption, vitamin or mineral
interactions, and other dietary habits.
Screening tests for prostate cancer
Digital Rectal Examination - A digital rectal examination (DRE) is performed by a
doctor during a regular office visit. For this examination, the doctor inserts a gloved
finger into the rectum and feels the prostate gland through the rectal wall to check for
bumps or abnormal areas. Although this test has been used for many years, whether DRE is
effective in decreasing the number of deaths from prostate cancer has not been determined.
Transrectal ultrasonography - During this examination, high-frequency sound waves are
sent out by a probe about the size of the index finger, which is inserted into the rectum.
The waves bounce off the prostate gland and produce echoes that a computer uses to create
a picture called a sonogram. Doctors examine the sonogram for echoes that might represent
abnormal areas. Whether ultrasonography is effective in decreasing mortality from prostate
cancer has not been determined.
PSA - For this test, a blood sample is drawn and the amount of prostate- specific
antigen (PSA) present is determined in a laboratory. PSA is a marker that, if present in
higher than average amounts, may indicate prostate cancer cells. However, PSA levels may
be raised in men who have noncancerous prostate conditions. Scientists are studying ways
to improve the reliability of the PSA test.
Because unnecessary treatment due to false screening results could be harmful, research
is being done to determine the most reliable method for prostate cancer screening. For
example, scientists at the National Cancer Institute are studying the value of early
detection by DRE and PSA on reducing the number of deaths caused by prostate cancer.
If you want to know more about screening for prostate cancer and other cancer
information, you can call the NCI's Cancer Information Service. The number is
1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615. The call is free, and a trained
information specialist will talk with you and answer your questions.
If you are at high risk for a certain type of cancer, you may want to think about
taking part in a clinical trial. A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific
question, such as whether a certain drug or nutrient can prevent cancer or whether a
method of finding cancer earlier can help people to live longer. It may also ask whether
one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been
learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to
find new and better ways to help cancer patients and those who are at risk for cancer.
During clinical trials, information is collected about screening and prevention methods,
new treatments, the risks involved with each, and how well they do or do not work. If a
clinical trial shows that a new method is better than one currently being used, the new
method may become "standard." Listings of clinical trials are a part of PDQ.
Many cancer doctors who take part in clinical trials are also listed in PDQ. For more
information, call the Cancer Information Service 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at
1-800-332-8615.
If you want to know more about cancer and how it is treated, or if you wish to know
about clinical trials for your type of cancer, you can call the NCI's Cancer Information
Service at 1-800-422-6237, toll free. A trained information specialist can talk
with you and answer your questions.
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