What does PSA stand for? It’s short for both a “public service announcement” and an important test for men. If you’re not familiar with the second acronym, it’s time to learn more and share that knowledge with your friends and family.
In medicine, PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. It’s a protein produced by the prostate gland that can provide helpful information about prostate health, something all men should pay attention to. One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, but when detected early, it’s often highly treatable. Many people go on to live cancer-free after treatment.
Among friends and family, we like to talk about the weather, sports, and favorite TV shows. Prostate cancer doesn’t typically make the list of dinner table conversations. This year, we want to change that.
Take the PSA Pledge
In honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, Cleveland Diagnostics has proudly relaunched its PSA on PSA campaign. The campaign has adopted a powerful new call: Take the PSA Pledge.
In putting forth the PSA Pledge, we’re challenging folks to talk about prostate cancer screening with their doctor, family, and friends. We can’t readily change the prevalence of prostate cancer, but we can work together to make sure it’s caught early.
The American Cancer Society recommends men to discuss prostate cancer screening with their doctors starting at age 50 or at age 40 for high-risk individuals. While the average age of diagnosis is 67, 4 out of every 10 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in men younger than 65.
So, if you haven’t discussed prostate cancer screening with your doctor, you Probably Should Ask. Be sure to talk to your loved ones, because for every pledge made at PSAonPSA.com, Cleveland Diagnostics will donate to ZERO Prostate Cancer to support patient education and resources.
Patient-friendly advances in prostate cancer testing
Awareness is the first step. Better testing is the next.
PSA tests have been a frontline screening tool for decades; however, they don’t tell the full story. These tests can detect if someone’s PSA levels are high, but they don’t reveal why. Sometimes, the cause is benign: for example, certain medications, exercise, and infection can elevate PSA. Other times, it’s a sign of cancer.
The good news is that prostate cancer screening is advancing. A blood test called IsoPSA is available to address the shortfalls of the PSA test. Instead of only measuring the amount of PSA in the blood, IsoPSA looks at the PSA proteins’ structure. This helps determine if the PSA proteins were made by healthy cells or cancer cells. This additional insight helps doctors better determine the path forward. It can also help men avoid unnecessary, invasive follow-up tests like biopsies.
The world of cancer screening can be complex, but this September, our ask is simple: Take the pledge. Start the conversation.
Visit PSAonPSA.com to learn more
