PSA - Talking to the Men on my Flist - Prostate health
In this case, PSA is not short for Public Service Announcement, but for Prostate-specific antigen. The level of a man's PSA is determined through blood work. Despite our Father having had Prostate Cancer, my family was shocked when my brother's blood work showed an extremely high level of PSA just before Christmas. He was referred to a urologist who also did blood work, as well as the Gleason test. The numbers from both tests seemed to startle the urologist, who, in turn, frightened my brother and his wife (the only two people meeting with the urologist in December). Christmas was a solemn one for my family.
Thankfully, the oncologist my brother met with in January was not an alarmist. In fact, he set out what my brother had to do, including hormone injections and radiation treatment, and said they would set about curing this disease that was attacking my brother's prostate.
Since the diagnosis and the first hormone injection (along with oral hormones to slow the growth of the Cancer cells), my brother's PSA level has dropped drastically. That was fantastic news!
He's about half way through his radiation treatment. He travels to the nearby city, about a 40 minute drive, daily (Monday to Friday) for what amounts to about a 15 minute appointment. Everything is very well run there. He's been having some problems with pain the last couple of days, but that has been sorted out. Now he is weary and tired, but doing okay.
My nephew asked his doctor when he should start getting tested. Forty years of age seems to the medical professions starting point. Keep that in mind, guys.
The commercials that flash across my TV screen state that one in six men will get Prostate Cancer. It seems more than that. In any event, if caught at the right time, it is greatly curable! Don't delay. And try not to worry about being poked. It's all for your overall health. Take care of yourselves!