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What if the test results show an elevated PSA level?

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A man should discuss elevated PSA test results with his doctor. There are many possible reasons for an elevated PSA level, including prostate cancer, benign prostate enlargement, inflammation, infection, age, and race. If there are no other indicators that suggest cancer, the doctor may recommend repeating DRE and PSA tests regularly to monitor any changes.
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How are PSA test results reported?

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PSA test results report the level of PSA detected in the blood. The PSA level that is considered normal for an average man ranges from 0 to 4 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). A PSA level of 4 to 10 ng/ml is considered slightly elevated; levels between 10 and 20 ng/ml are considered moderately elevated; and anything above that is considered highly elevated. various factors can cause PSA levels to fluctuate, one abnormal PSA test does not necessarily indicate a need for other diagnostic tests.
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What is a PSA blood test? PAP?

Prostate Cancer FAQ
The PSA blood test is an important tool in helping to detect prostate cancer, especially when it is done along with a digital rectal examination (DRE). Often, the doctor will order blood tests to measure a substance called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). The level of PSA in the blood may rise in men who have prostate cancer or benign prostatic hypertrophy.
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What is a normal PSA level?

About.com Cancer: Most Popular Articles
Does splenda cause cancer? Find out the answer in this FAQ about the risks of consuming the artifical sweetener, Splenda. Leukemia is a cancer that has many types. In this article, the different types of leukemia are explored and the characteristics of each are described. Most people recognize a perisistant cough as the most common symptom of lung cancer. People need to also be aware common symptoms of lung cancer that most people don't know about.
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What is PSA? How often should I get a test?

PSA - North of England
Prostate Specific Antigen is a protein made by the prostate gland, which naturally leaks out into the bloodstream. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood. The test is not always reliable as PSA levels also increase as men get older and due to other conditions of the prostate.
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What is the PSA test?

Services - FAQs - Vancouver Neurologists, P.S.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a substance produced by the prostate gland. This is a test that measures the amount of PSA in the bloodstream.
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My wife really wants me to have a PSA test. What is PSA and Should I have the test?

Frequently Asked Questions
A: PSA stands for prostate specific antigen. It is a protein that is produced by normal prostatic cells as well as cancerous prostate cells and is measured with a blood test. In many instances, especially in men where there is a family history of the disease, the higher the PSA, the greater the chances of prostate cancer. If the PSA is "too high" a prostate biopsy may be recommended. Defining what is "too high" depends on age as well as prostate size and previous PSA readings.
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Patients - Product Information
The PSA or prostate specific antigen test is a blood test used to measure the amount of a particular protein found in a person's blood. Prostate cells make this protein and normally the PSA level is usually low (less than 4.0 nanograms per milliliter). Prostate cancer and certain other conditions can raise the PSA value because of an increase in the amount of prostate specific protein circulating in the blood. If the PSA value is higher than 4.
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URF - The Site for Prostate Cancer Information
The PSA blood test is probably the single most accurate test we have for the detection of prostate cancer. PSA is a protein that’s produced in the prostate gland. Normally, the PSA should be very low in the bloodstream. Our studies showed that the median PSA level is 0.7 for men in their 40s, 0.9 for men in their 50s and 1.4 for men in their 60s. If the prostate is diseased – from benign enlargement, inflammation, or prostate cancer – the PSA is elevated.
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Should we test our patients for elevated homocysteine levels?

Frequently Asked Questions : Diatx®Zn
Since there are no established guidelines on homocysteine testing, this should be left up to the individual practitioner. However, providing baseline and follow-up homocysteine levels will encourage pateints to continue their vitamin therapy, and improve compliance. Monitoring homocysteine levels may help identify which patients need improvement with their vitamin therapy.
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What level of detail must the SARC provide relative to results from the California Standards Test?

Frequently Asked Questions - School Accountability Report Ca...
Both NCLB and California law require that information be made available pertaining to California Standards Test (CST) results by grade level, proficiency level, and specific required subgroups, including race/ethnicity.
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Q: What could cause a PSA level to raise other than cancer?

URF - The Site for Prostate Cancer Information
The following can cause the PSA to rise: cancer, benign enlargement, and inflammation (prostatitis) of the prostate, or infection of the urinary tract. With cancer and benign enlargement, the PSA goes up persistently; the slope is steeper with cancer. With infection, the PSA can rise with a flare-up and come back down with resolution of the inflammation.
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How useful is a PSA test once a patient is diagnosed with cancer?

Metropolitan Urology | St. Louis Missouri
PSA is an excellent marker for use during and after cancer therapy. PSA lets the patient know how the cancer is responding to the treatment.
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What happens if the PSA test is abnormal?

Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Health Care ...
If a PSA test is close to the cut-off value, you may decide to repeat it to make sure it is not a laboratory error. You might immediately investigate your patient for prostatic enlargement, infection or cancer if the PSA is above the cut-off value.
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What is the accuracy of the PSA test?

Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Health Care ...
Three men (3/10) will be found to have significant prostate cancer after the first biopsy; i.e., seven men (7/10) will be found not to have prostate cancer at this time (false positives); Over the next several years, another two of these men will have significant prostate cancer detected during follow-up; Over an extended period of time, five of the ten men will be found not to have prostate cancer despite further investigation (false positives).
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Why is the PSA test performed?

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the PSA test for use in conjunction with a digital rectal exam (DRE) to help detect prostate cancer in men age 50 and older. During a DRE, a doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum and feels the prostate gland through the rectal wall to check for bumps or abnormal areas. Doctors often use the PSA test and DRE as prostate cancer screening tests in men who have no symptoms of the disease.
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When should I get a PSA Test and how often is testing done?

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The benefits of screening for prostate cancer are still being studied. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is currently conducting the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, or PLCO trial, to determine if certain screening tests reduce the number of deaths from these cancers. The DRE and PSA are being studied to determine whether yearly screening to detect prostate cancer will decrease one's chance of dying from prostate cancer.
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What are some of the limitations of the PSA test?

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Detection does not always mean saving lives: Even though the PSA test can detect small tumors, finding a small tumor does not necessarily reduce a man's chance of dying from prostate cancer. PSA testing may identify very slow-growing tumors that are unlikely to threaten a man's life. Also, PSA testing may not help a man with a fast-growing or aggressive cancer that has already spread to other parts of his body before being detected.
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Why is the PSA test controversial?

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Using the PSA test to screen men for prostate cancer is controversial because it is not yet known if the process actually saves lives. Moreover, it is not clear if the benefits of PSA screening outweigh the risks of follow up diagnostic tests and cancer treatments. The procedures used to diagnose prostate cancer may cause significant side effects, including bleeding and infection. Prostate cancer treatment often causes incontinence and impotence.
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What research is being done to improve the PSA test?

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Scientists are researching ways to distinguish between cancerous and benign conditions, and between slow-growing cancers and fast-growing, potentially lethal cancers. Some of the methods being studied are: PSA velocity: PSA velocity is based on changes in PSA levels over time. A sharp rise in the PSA level raises the suspicion of cancer. Age-adjusted PSA: Age is an important factor in increasing PSA levels.
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What constitutes an elevated cholesterol level?

Quantimetrix Corporation
Cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or higher are considered high, and levels ranging from 200 to 239 mg/dL are considered borderline-high.
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Is an elevated cholesterol level unusual?

Quantimetrix Corporation
There are an estimated 99.5 million American adults that have a total blood cholesterol level of 200mg/dL and higher. About 39.9 million American adults have levels of 240 mg/dL or above.
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What causes an elevated cholesterol level?

Quantimetrix Corporation
The body produces cholesterol in two ways: it makes some of it and the rest comes from meat and other animal products such as eggs, butter, cheese and whole milk.
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How will I understand the overall test results?

GDX Comprehensive Cardiovascular Assessment Frequently Asked...
Having a combination of risk factors greatly increases your overall risk of heart disease. That's why your test results will also include a Cardiovascular Risk Index, determined by a multivariate analysis of all of your individual risk factors. So in addition to each individual marker, you get a general indication of your overall cardiac risk.
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What do the results of a water test mean?

RADON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Estimate how much the radon in your water is elevating your indoor radon level by subtracting 1 pCi/L from your indoor air radon level for every 10,000 pCi/L of radon that was found in your water. (For example: if you have 30,000 pCi/L of radon in your water, then 3 pCi/L of your indoor measurement may have come from radon in water.
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How are test results reported?

OSPI Assessment
Results are reported for individual students, schools, districts and the state according to four performance levels defined by the State Board of Education: Every family of a student who took the WASL will receive a WASL Score Report. Each school/district decides how families will receive this report (e.g. mail or parent/teacher conference). Check with your school or district to find out how you will receive your student's results.
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How are test results used?

OSPI Assessment
Note: Your child's WASL results should not be the first time you know if your child is mastering the state's learning standards. In fact, many teachers now grade daily student work using the WASL's 1-4 scoring scale. Under No Child Left Behind, the state reports on the Annual Yearly Progress of students in schools and districts based on WASL results. Students are required to pass the High School WASL in Reading, Writing and Mathematics as one requirement for a high school diploma.
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