Slide 22 of 31
Notes:
- The DRE is particularly helpful because prostate cancer most frequently arises in the posterior peripheral zone, which is easily palpable through the rectal wall.
- Normal PSA is less than 3-4 ng/mL blood.
- PSA is elevated in 80% of men with prostate cancer.
- Sensitive but not specific.
- Over half of men with abnormally high PSA levels are actually cancer-free.
- PSA can be elevated in other conditions: prostatitis, BPH, increased age, may vary racially, recent ejaculation, finasteride medication (for BPH), UTI, recent prostate procedure (not DRE).
- It is thought that PSA rises more in CA b/c cancer damages barriers to bloodstream.
