Why is a PSA test so important?
A. The PSA test measures levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood and is one of the best tools currently available for detecting prostate cancer in its earliest–and most curable–stages. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers found in men in the United States. It occurs in approximately one out of ten men during their lifetime. Prostate cancer is more common in older men and is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. A PSA test is one of the best ways for a doctor to obtain a “snapshot” picture of a man’s prostate health. Because PSA testing is often inconvenient, most men choose to put it off until something goes wrong.
