PSA Testing

March 06 2018   |   News

PSA Test is a standard part of our Wellman Test. New figures reveal that 11,819 men now die from prostate cancer every year in the UK, compared to 11,442 women dying from breast cancer. It means the male-only disease is now the third most common cancer to die from, after lung and bowel cancer.

Since 1999, the number of women dying from breast cancer has been steadily decreasing, while prostate cancer deaths are still on the rise. During that time, breast cancer has benefitted from a screening programme, significant investments in research and more than double the number of published studies compared to ones for prostate cancer.

With two high profile celebrities, Bill Turnball & Stephen Fry both speaking out about their experiences with Prostate cancer in recent days it highlights the importance of having tests.

Bill Turnbull today made public his diagnosis and told Radio Times magazine he wanted to encourage people to get tested, saying: “Maybe if I’d got it earlier and stopped it at the prostate, I’d be in a much better state.” See BBC News

Stephen Fry in an interview said of his experience “1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, and it’s now the third biggest cancer killer. But if it is caught early, it can more often than not be treated successfully, which is why awareness like this is so important. It is crucial for every man to acknowledge the threat that prostate cancer can pose to his life. Some men in particular face a higher than average risk and so if you are over 50, black, or have a family history of prostate cancer, it’s important that you to speak to your GP about the disease.” https://prostatecanceruk.org/about/news-and-views/2018/2/stephen-fry-calls-for-all-men-to-know-their-risk-after-his-treatment-for-prostate-cancer

Both Bill Turnball and Stephen Fry speak of the importance of having tests earlier, Summerfield Healthcare recognise that it is not always easy to get an appointment an appointment at your own GP and men are infamous for putting off health related decisions.

Summerfield Healthcare is able to provide a simple blood test that can help identify issues with your prostate. The PSA test is a blood test can help diagnose prostate problems, including prostate cancer.

The PSA test is a blood test that measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by normal cells in the prostate and also by prostate cancer cells. It’s normal to have a small amount of PSA in your blood, and the amount rises as you get older and your prostate gets bigger. A raised PSA level may suggest you have a problem with your prostate, but not necessarily cancer.

You should have a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test if you’re over 50.

If you’re over 45 and have a higher risk of prostate cancer, for example if you’re black or you have a family history of it, you might want to talk to Summerfield Healthcare about having a PSA test.

Summerfield Healthcare can provide the simple PSA test or can provide a more thorough check of your health in general through our well man service.

Please contact us today to discuss your requirements.