What indicators are checked for prostate cancer?

Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
Updated on February 20, 2025
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Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) is a glycoprotein produced by the vesicles in the cytoplasm of normal or pre-cancerous epithelial cells of the prostate. It is the most specific and sensitive tumor marker for prostate cancer. Therefore, in patients with prostate cancer, we generally conduct blood tests for PSA, especially in screening for prostate cancer, assessing the effectiveness of treatments, and for the prognosis of prostate patients, among other aspects. Additionally, other examinations are combined, such as digital rectal exams, which can also serve as a screening method for prostate cancer. Moreover, CT or MRI scans of the prostate and pelvis, as well as ultrasound examinations of the prostate, can be used in conjunction with the tumor marker PSA for a comprehensive evaluation.

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Can people with prostate cancer eat beef?

Patients with prostate cancer can eat beef. Beef is a high-protein food, and as cancer is a consumptive disease, it is generally advised to enhance nutrition in the diet, such as meats, proteins, vegetables, and fruits to maintain a balanced diet with both meat and vegetables. Avoid junk food, such as pickled vegetables from pickled jars, barbecue items, or excessively oily foods with high fat content. Those should be avoided as much as possible, but other foods, including beef, can be consumed.

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Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

How is prostate cancer treated? The choice of treatment plan should be based on a comprehensive consideration of the patient's clinical stage, age, overall health, and expected lifespan. For example, in the early stages of prostate cancer, one can choose postoperative radical radiotherapy after prostatectomy. For locally advanced prostate cancer, radiotherapy, intensified radiotherapy combined with endocrine therapy can be chosen. For metastatic prostate cancer, endocrine therapy is mainly used, and chemotherapy can be adopted for those who are ineffective or fail endocrine therapy.

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Is prostate cancer stage T2 considered early or mid-stage?

Prostate cancer stage T2 is considered early or intermediate, but it is also necessary to understand the patient's N and M status. If the patient is at stage T2, and both N and M are at stage 0, then it is considered early-stage prostate cancer. If the primary lesion is at stage T2, but N1 is present and there is no metastasis (M), then the patient is considered to have intermediate-stage prostate cancer. If the primary lesion is at stage T2, but there is metastasis in N and M, then the patient's clinical stage is considered advanced. The clinical staging of prostate cancer not only requires understanding of the primary lesion T, but also involves the regional lymph nodes N and distant metastasis M.

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What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Patients with prostate cancer exhibit some signs before the onset of the disease. Patients may experience an increase in urination frequency, urgency, and pain similar to the clinical manifestations of urethritis, and some patients may present with hematuria. Moreover, prostate cancer will exhibit hyperplasia and enlargement as well as abnormal urine retention. As the disease progresses, prostate cancer lesions will spread to surrounding areas, presenting clinical symptoms such as pain, bleeding, or difficulty urinating. Clinically, some laboratory and imaging tests will reveal significantly elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen and prostate ultrasound, among other tests, might show abnormal nodular lesions.

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What are the late-stage symptoms of prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a common malignant tumor in the urinary system. The late-stage symptoms of prostate cancer include the following aspects: Many patients experience urinary symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination due to tumor obstruction. Additionally, some patients experience slow urination, difficulty urinating, and even severe urinary retention. A few patients may have painless or painful hematuria. Some patients, due to tumor compression or invasion, experience enlargement and pain of the inguinal lymph nodes, as well as swelling of the lower limbs. Some patients develop bone metastases, clinically manifesting as pain, reduced sensation, or paralysis. Some patients with prostate cancer develop pulmonary metastases, leading to clinical respiratory symptoms such as cough, chest tightness, breathlessness, and difficulty breathing.