Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein made by the prostate gland. A PSA take a look at is a blood take a look at that checks the extent of PSA in a person’s blood. Excessive ranges can point out plenty of prostate points, together with irritation, an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH), or prostate most cancers.
An estimated 37 % of males ages 50 and older have had a PSA take a look at up to now 12 months. This screening take a look at affords a technique to detect prostate most cancers early — as much as seven years earlier than signs seem.
However sure issues, reminiscent of drugs or an an infection, might trigger the quantity on this take a look at to be falsely excessive or low. Listed here are 9 dos and don’ts earlier than a PSA blood take a look at to make sure that your outcomes are as correct as doable.
1. Don’t: Quick Earlier than the Check
Some blood checks, just like the blood sugar take a look at used to diagnose diabetes, require you to quick for eight hours or extra to make sure the proper outcomes. Not this one. “There’s no preparation for a PSA take a look at,” says John L. Phillips, MD, chair and professor of urology at New York Medical Faculty in Valhalla, New York. Not consuming beforehand received’t have any impact on the outcomes.
2. Do: Inform Your Physician Which Drugs You Take
A gaggle of medicines referred to as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can have an effect on PSA ranges. These embrace finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart), which docs prescribe to deal with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and male-pattern baldness.
“They’re designed to dam the conversion of lively testosterone within the prostate. What’s going to occur is that it’s going to atrophy [shrink] the prostate and artificially decrease the PSA,” explains Gabriel Rodríguez, MD, a board-certified urologist at Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital. Finasteride can decrease PSA outcomes by as a lot as 50 %.
A low PSA stage might create a false sense of safety, he says. You would possibly assume your numbers look good, or that they’re taking place, when the truth is they might have been excessive. Talk about all of the drugs you are taking together with your urologist earlier than the take a look at. Ask if you’ll want to come off them, and if that’s the case, for the way lengthy.
The hair-loss drug minoxidil (Rogaine) is an analogous remedy that treats baldness, nevertheless it’s prescribed at a decrease dose and it shouldn’t have an effect on your PSA rating.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum are medicines that enhance testosterone ranges. “Generally males will take over-the-counter libido medicine or testosterone dietary supplements. And in the event that they’re ‘juicing up’ within the health club or they’re taking testosterone with out supervision, it’s thought to extend the PSA by growing prostatic stimulation,” says Dr. Phillips.
3. Don’t: Go Biking Earlier than the Check
Most forms of train shouldn’t have an effect on PSA ranges, with these exceptions: Driving a motorbike, motorbike, or Jet Ski places stress on the prostate. “It’s going to injure prostatic cells, so that they’re going to secrete extra PSA into the bloodstream, which shall be picked up on the examination,” says Dr. Rodríguez. To keep away from a false-positive end result, cease doing a majority of these actions about 48 hours earlier than your take a look at.
4. Do: Get Examined for COVID
You probably have signs like a fever, cough, sore throat, or lack of style or scent, get a COVID take a look at.
The virus can typically elevate the PSA stage. One doable purpose is that irritation from a COVID an infection damages the prostate, inflicting a few of its cells to shed into the bloodstream. The COVID vaccine could have an analogous impact. Ask your physician how lengthy to attend after a COVID an infection or vaccine earlier than getting a PSA take a look at.
5. Do: Take a Break From Intercourse
Throughout ejaculation, the prostate contracts to propel prostatic and seminal fluid out of the penis. The contraction causes minor trauma to the prostate gland, which then releases small quantities of PSA into the bloodstream, notes Rodríguez.
It’s finest to keep away from intercourse or masturbation proper earlier than the take a look at, however you don’t have to attend too lengthy. “The PSA normally returns to regular inside two days in virtually 100% of individuals,” says Phillips. “So avoiding intercourse longer than two days might be pointless.”
6. Do: Wait Till After Urologic Procedures
Any process that locations devices or a scope in or close to the prostate would possibly harm this gland. Prostate biopsy and cystoscopy — a take a look at used to diagnose bladder circumstances — would possibly quickly increase PSA ranges. Colonoscopy is one other doable concern, as a result of the scope passes very near the prostate on its approach up the colon, says Rodríguez.
7. Do: Area Out Your Digital Rectal Examination
The digital rectal examination (DRE) is one other take a look at for prostate most cancers, through which the physician inserts a lubricated gloved finger into the rectum to test for any lumps or different adjustments. Whether or not a DRE will increase PSA has been debated. Some analysis confirmed that males’s PSA ranges rose after this prostate most cancers take a look at. Different research didn’t discover that impact.
If the DRE does increase PSA, it seemingly received’t be an enormous rise. “The rectal examination is just 4 seconds,” says Phillips. “It‘s not going to considerably elevate the PSA.” Simply in case, although, your physician can do the PSA blood draw earlier than the DRE.
8. Do: Wait if You Have a Catheter
Some males want a catheter — a tube positioned by means of the penis into the bladder to empty urine. It’s used for urinary incontinence, urinary retention, and typically after prostate or genital surgical procedure. Inform your physician if in case you have a catheter. As a result of this tube can typically harm the prostate, you could must delay the PSA take a look at for as much as six weeks after it’s eliminated.
9. Do: Deal with a Urinary Tract An infection
It’s widespread to have a better PSA stage after a urinary tract an infection (UTI) due to the irritation or irritation that the an infection causes. Your physician can prescribe antibiotics to clear up the an infection. Irritation of the prostate gland, referred to as prostatitis, may also enhance PSA ranges.
The Takeaway
The PSA take a look at is a crucial a part of screening for prostate most cancers. It will probably detect cancerous adjustments years earlier than signs seem.
Sure issues, like infections and drugs, could trigger false excessive or low outcomes and make the take a look at much less dependable.
Speak to your urologist about the way to put together in your PSA take a look at and observe their instructions to assist enhance the accuracy of your outcomes.
