�鶹��Ƶapp

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States. Roughly 13 out of every 100 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. The risk of developing prostate cancer depends on a variety of factors, including age, race or ethnicity, family history, genetic factors, and diet.

Starting at age 40, men with an increased risk of prostate cancer should consider a prostate cancer screening. This includes those with a family history of prostate cancer, a genetic condition such as a BRCA 1 or BRCA2 mutation, and African American men. Our doctors also recommend that all men between ages 55 and 69 have an annual prostate cancer screening.

Prostate cancer screenings can help find cancers before they spread. Our doctors use two common screening methods.

Protein-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein made by the prostate gland, which can be measured in the blood using a PSA test. During a PSA test, a small amount of blood is drawn from the arm to determine the PSA level. Men with prostate cancer typically have an elevated PSA.

Whether a PSA test result is considered abnormal is based on a man’s age and the size of the prostate. If a single PSA test result shows an elevated level or a progressively increasing level, our doctors repeat the test before recommending further diagnostic tests.

The PSA test is not a perfect screening test for prostate cancer. That’s because elevated PSA levels can also occur as a result of a urinary tract infection, prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate), or an enlarged prostate. The test may also detect slow-growing cancers that would pose no harm if left untreated.

Our researchers are developing and evaluating highly sensitive tests to detect aggressive cancers more accurately, while reducing the incidence of false-positive and false-negative results. For instance, a 4Kscore is a blood test that identifies those at risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Other tests, such as an ExoDX Prostate Test, detect molecular markers in urine associated with aggressive prostate cancer.

Investigators at NYU Langone Health have played a pivotal role in investigating molecular markers that help doctors determine whether a prostate biopsy is needed to test for cancer.

In addition to a PSA test, our doctors may recommend a digital rectal exam to screen for prostate cancer.

During a digital rectal exam, a urologist uses a gloved finger to check the prostate by feeling it through the rectum. The doctor assesses the size of the prostate and checks for abnormalities.

A normal prostate has a rubbery, soft feel and is symmetric, with a smooth groove down the middle.

A firm or hard region in the prostate, called a nodule, may indicate that prostate cancer is present. If the urologist feels a prostate nodule, they may recommend other diagnostic tests. The doctor may also recommend these tests if the prostate feels asymmetric, with one side larger than the other.