A recent BBC investigation Questioning the accuracy of prostate antigen (PSA) self-tests-fast tests at home for men disturbed by prostate cancer. The BBC analyzed five of those tests using a blood sample and yielded different results: a positive, three negative, and one read.
PSA blood test measures PSA levels, which is a protein produced by the prostate gland. All men have some PSA of their blood, but increasing levels can suggest an issue with prostate, including cancer.
In the UK, there may be prostate cancer The most common cancer in men. One of eight Prostate cancer shall be diagnosed during his life.
Unlike many other cancers, there isn't any national screening program for prostate cancer and NHS does not offer normal PSA testing. But anyone who has a prostate and is greater than 50 years old-or greater than 45 and may request PSA testing from a high-risk group-NHS. A health care provider may request a test if he believes the patient has symptoms of prostate cancer or he wants to observe the condition of the diagnosed prostate.
A quick and potentially more convenient alternative is to check itself. Currently, anyone over 18 years of age should buy PSA Self -Testing Kit Home use. Without any lively program of NHS screening, home testing is increasing to catch prostate cancer quickly – before there may be an indication. Catching quickly cancer, treatment can prevent them from spreading and causing serious problems.
As with Covade self -testing, PSA home kits tests uses cassette. You use a lenset (small needle) to grab your finger, pour the blood right into a papat, after which drop it on the test cassette with a buffer solution. Depending on the test cut, a positive or negative result appears in five to 10 minutes.
It could appear easy, but some users meet Detailed instructions PSA tests for home are difficult to follow, which might result in mistakes. A Review The information supplied with the tests is normally inadequate.
But because the BBC report showed, even when used properly, PSA home tests can produce different results.
Not a cancer test
Positive tests or more PSA levels could cause men unnecessarily disturbing. PSA tests will not be blood tests for prostate cancer, and PSA tests can neither diagnose nor diagnose prostate cancer. Rather, the high levels of PSA indicate a possible problem with prostate.
In many men, this will cause a cause The benign prostatic hyperplasia – An prolonged prostate. This is a non -cancer condition that's being affected 8 % In the fifties of men, men's, where the prostate gland is larger. This could cause urinary problems, equivalent to difficulty starting urine, weak urine stream and frequent or quick urine. Likely to develop prolonged prostate Grows with age.
A swollen prostate (prostatitis) may cause Raised psaAs can urine infection – and even tremendous exercise and sexual intercourse.
In some cases, fast home tests can provide a incorrect negative result, offering misconduct to users who should go ahead to take more tests for cancer.
Another drawback of household testing kits is that there isn't any medical skilled to refer the test user for further testing or to assist translate the outcomes. For example, peculiar PSA levels don't mean that an individual's test is free from cancer: PSA levels could also be normal in anyone affected by prostate cancer.
Tests will not be GP substitute
Although the fast PSA tests could also be incredible at home, other kinds of PSA self -test kit mean you can collect blood samples in a small tube, then send it to the laboratory for testing. It may take a couple of days to realize these results, but in comparison with high -speed homes tests, PSA can offer a more detailed price. But once more, these lab tests can neither diagnose prostate cancer nor reject them.
Whatever the strategy of testing, a high PSA level needs to be followed with a health care provider who can order more tests and scan for cancer examination.
Many men can find prostate cancer UK Online Risk Checker Useful it asks three necessary questions on age, race and family history.
The larger the person is, the upper his prostate cancer risk. Black ethnic heritage men have double the potential to develop prostate cancer, while an in depth relative – father or brother – who has prostate cancer also increases the danger.
Online Risk Checker also provides useful resources, information to take a health care provider, and speak to details for expert nurses.
If a person is experimenting with someone Symptom In prostate problems, it falls right into a high risk group, it has genetic risk aspects, PSA has a positive home test, or simply have concerns about prostate cancer, it's all the time higher to examine the doctor-they can provide further support, information and further tests.