Prostate Specific Antigen Test

Prostate Specific Antigen Test The discussion presented was based on prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. This test is commonly used when screening for prostate cancer in high risk patients. It tests for the levels of PSA protein which is produced by both healthy and malignant cells of the prostate glands.

However, PSA levels are often elevated in patients with prostate cancer. In the discussion, the writer explored the reliability and validity of the PSA test.

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6512 WEEK 3 DISCUSSION RESPONSE A

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As pointed out, the PSA test was found to have low validity. Validity is the ability of tests to measure what it is supposed to measure. In the case of using the PSA test in screening for prostate cancer, high levels of PSA indicate the possibility of having cancer (Shenoy, Packianathan, Chen, & Vijayakumar, 2016). However, other conditions such as prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and acute bacterial prostatitis are also associated with elevated PSA levels (Brosman, 2017). In some individuals, PSA levels are elevated naturally with no underlying pathology.

A test with poor validity also has poor reliability. This means that it cannot produce consistent results. Patients found to have elevated PSA levels have to undergo a prostate biopsy examination to determine the presence of prostate cancer. Due to poor validity and reliability, the PSA cancer screening tool can produce high false positives warranting unnecessary additional testing and treatment (Yooni, Rodney, Kelsey, Molly, & Philipp, 2013).

6512 WEEK 3 DISCUSSION RESPONSE A References Brosman, S. (2017). Prostate-specific antigen testing: Overview, physiologic characteristics of PSA, other prostate cancer markers. Retrieved from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/457394-overview#a Shenoy, D., Packianathan, S., Chen, A. M., & Vijayakumar, S. (2016). Do African-American men need separate prostate cancer screening guidelines? BMC Urology, 16, 19. doi: 10.1186/s12894-016-0137-7 Yooni, Y., Rodney, H., B., Kelsey, W., Molly, M., N., & Philipp, D. (2013). Diagnostic tests in urology: percentage of free prostate-specific antigen (PSA). BJU International, (4), 683. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2012.11446.x

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