The Advantages of Using the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Exam in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer
in men, followed by lung cancer. It is estimated that over 300,000 new
cases are detected annually, of which approximately 41,000 are fatal. PSA
is an acronym in English for Prostate Specific Antigen. It is a protein
found both in normal prostates and in those affected by diseases.
Objective: To investigate the advantages of using the PSA in the
diagnosis of prostate cancer by contrast to rectal exam.
Methods: This is a literature review of scientific articles published
between 2000 and 2013 in Portuguese and English. It comprises 20 selected
articles, 13 of which have been considered, while 7 were excluded.
Results: Prostate cancer is the most common tumor in men over 50
years old. It develops when the cells of the prostate begin to grow and to
multiply beyond control. DRE by itself has a failure rate of 30% to 40%
of the cases, whereas PSA measures fail in 20% of the cases. Therefore,
the best way to detect prostate cancer is found in the combination of
DRE and PSA dosage.
Conclusion: The studies indicate that the best way to detect prostate
cancer is found in the combination of DRE and PSA dosage.