The prostate is arguably man’s biggest bugbear. It might be vital for sexual function and procreation but as we get older it becomes larger making urination increasingly difficult until we have it removed which then markedly diminishes the sexual experience. There’s also the spectre of prostate cancer often not lethal but daunting enough. The PSA blood test does not specifically identify cancer but there are pointers. Doctors can order a free/total PSA ratio with a score <10% suggesting an increased cancer risk. There’s also the PSA density test and this involves dividing the PSA by the volume of the prostate assessed with an ultrasound investigation. In the context of a raised PSA score a high PSA density would suggest a greater likelihood of there being a cancer, a low score signifying the opposite. Then there’s the more definitive MRI investigation, ordered by a specialist, which can pinpoint cancer in its early stages. If normal it precludes the necessity for an unnecessary prostate biopsy.
Women face the unpleasant and uncomfortable experience of having a mammogram. The ultrasound is far less painful but unfortunately unreliable and might miss early warning signs of a cancer. The MRI is the most sensitive investigation but it’s costly and necessitates enclosure in a confined space for an extended period of time which can be unnerving.
Ideally it might be prudent to be proactive rather than waiting for these investigations to reveal the disturbing news that we have cancer which is why I’ve designed a pre-emptive roadmap for preventing each in The Wellness Guide to Preventing the Diseases of Ageing.
