Prostate particular antigen (PSA) is a protein made by the prostate gland. Based on Dr. Brian Keith McNeil, PSA is a key instrument for screening for prostate most cancers. Nevertheless, it is essential to know that each wholesome prostate cells and cancerous cells launch PSA.
McNeil, vice chair of the Division of Urology at SUNY Downstate Well being Sciences College, explains that due to this, PSA shouldn’t be a “excellent take a look at.” A excessive PSA stage in a blood take a look at would not mechanically imply an individual has most cancers. Different issues may cause an elevated PSA, equivalent to an enlarged prostate, an an infection or irritation.
A special instrument, known as PSMA, or prostate particular membrane antigen, helps docs discover most cancers which will have unfold outdoors of the prostate. PSMA is a protein discovered on the floor of prostate most cancers cells. The PSMA-PET scan is a kind of imaging take a look at that can be utilized to find these cells and decide if most cancers has unfold to different components of the physique, just like the bones or lymph nodes.
As a part of its Talking Out video collection, on behalf of ZERO Prostate Most cancers, CURE spoke with McNeil about in regards to the position of PSMA-PET Imaging versus PSA.
McNeil notes that docs usually use a PSMA-PET scan for sufferers with high-risk prostate most cancers. When there’s a robust risk that the most cancers could have unfold based mostly on different take a look at outcomes just like the Gleason rating or PSA, a PSMA scan might help affirm the place the most cancers is positioned.
Past discovering most cancers, PSMA can also be being explored as a goal for treating prostate most cancers that has unfold. Based on McNeil, researchers are utilizing this protein to create new therapies that may discover and destroy prostate most cancers cells within the physique.
After a affected person has been handled for prostate most cancers, docs proceed to watch their well being by checking PSA ranges regularly. McNeil explains that if the PSA stage begins to rise after remedy, it may sign that the most cancers has come again. In these circumstances, a PSMA-PET scan can be utilized to pinpoint precisely the place the most cancers has returned, which helps docs determine on one of the best subsequent steps.
For sufferers, McNeil advises figuring out key details about their analysis, such because the preliminary PSA stage and Gleason rating. He encourages sufferers to ask their physician essential questions like, “What’s my threat class?” and “Would a PSMA-PET scan be useful for me presently?”
