Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. While many prostate cancers grow slowly and remain localized, other types are aggressive and spread quickly. That's why Dr. Carlos Vargas, a Mayo Clinic radiation oncologist encourages regular screening. He says the goal of screening is to detect prostate cancer early, when it's still confined to the prostate gland and has the best chance for successful treatment.
"It's important to get adequate screening, and screening for prostate cancer is relatively simple. You can have a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test with your primary care doctor once a year, and with this, you can tailor adequate procedures based on your age and other risk factors," says Dr. Vargas.
The prostate-specific antigen test is a blood test used to measure the amount of prostate-specific antigen in your blood. High levels may indicate the presence of cancer. Other conditions also may increase this level. It's important to discuss with your health care professional if the prostate-specific antigen test is right for you based on your personal risk level and age.
