BC Living
Spreads – From Scratch
You’ve Gotta Try This In May
How to Support BC Wineries Now
4 Tips on Balancing a Nutritious Diet with a Side of Indulgence
Choosing Connection: A BC Family Day Pledge to Prioritize Presence Over Plans
Embracing Plant-Based Living this Veganuary and Beyond
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Local Getaway: A Mini Cozy Sanctuary in Nelson
B.C. Adventures: Our picks for May
Spring into Fun in Kamloops: The Best Events in the City
BC Distilled
Melodies and Museums: Solo-Friendly Entertainment for the Independent Traveller
Arts Club Theatre Company Celebrates 60 Years
Pyrrha Connects People With Pieces That Speak To Them
BC-Based Gifts Perfect for Mom
SOLO CHIC: 5 Essential Pieces for the Stylish Solo Traveller
Prostate Cancer Canada recommends men over 50 take an annual prostate cancer screening test
Prostate Cancer Canada recommends a yearly PSA test for men over 50
The only thing worse than finding a tumour in the prostate gland is not finding it.
That’s why many doctors recommend men take the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This test involves taking a blood sample to measure levels of PSA. A higher-than-normal amount of PSA is a possible sign of prostate cancer. However, controversy has surrounded this test because it isn’t completely reliable.
Increased PSA blood levels don’t necessarily indicate the presence of active cancer. It can sometimes occur when clinically insignificant prostate cancers are present – tiny tumours that may never become life-threatening and don’t require treatment – or when the prostate is inflamed. Still, evidence suggests that a rapid rise in PSA levels over months or years is a strong sign of aggressive prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer Canada recommends that men over 40 establish a baseline PSA value and that those over age 50 have annual or semi-annual PSA monitoring followed by digital rectal examination. Combined, these screening methods boost the chances of early detection, giving men who do have the disease the best chance of overcoming it.
Originally published in Wellness Matters, Canada Wide Media’s quarterly newsletter on health and wellness.