PSA is a substance produced by your prostate gland. Some PSA naturally gets into your bloodstream so that you have a PSA level, which is expressed as a number. For example, a PSA level of 3 or less is considered “good”. In other words, if your PSA level is 3 or below, your risk of having prostate cancer is very low. On the other hand, if your PSA is in the range of 4 to 10, you have about a 25% chance of having cancer, and if it’s higher than 10, your risk factor goes to 67%.
A Home PSA Test
If you are concerned about your PSA level and your risk of having prostate cancer, there is a home PSA test called the Landmark™ PSA Prostate Cancer Screening Test. It is a quantitative screening test designed to measure and identify your PSA level.
The Home PSA Test Kit
The home PSA test kit or sample collection kit, includes a pre-treated sample card, finger lancer, gauze, alcohol swab, band-aid, test form and instruction manual. The kit also contains a prepaid laboratory mailer. When you send in the mailer, you receive in return a prepaid quantitative PSA analysis by the CLIA Certified Laboratory including a lab notification, certification, and a physician’s review and explanation of your test results.
Advantages Of The Home PSA Test
The advantages of the Landmark PSA test are privacy and convenience. You collect the blood yourself and mail in the sample, so you don't need to visit the doctor. It is also accurate as a nationally certified laboratory analyzes your PSA level.
How A Home PSA Test Is Performed
The home PSA test is simple. You micro-nick your finger using the special finger lancet and put three drops of blood on the special collection card. Once the blood dries, you slip the collection card into the mailer and send it (postage paid) to the Landmark Diagnostics’ CLIA certified lab for analysis. Your PSA test results will be mailed back to you and will arrive in about five days. As an alternative, you can also have your PSA test results mailed to your designated healthcare provider.
Cost Of A Home PSA Test
The Landmark Diagnostics' home PSA test costs $44.95. It is said to be private, convenient, easy-to-use and is reasonably priced.
How Reliable Is A Home PSA Test?
If you take the Landmark Diagnostics home PSA test and find that you have an elevated PSA (4 or above), you do not need to panic. There are two reasons for this. First, a PSA test cannot tell the difference between PSA produced by prostate cancer tissue and that produced by a benign condition such as prostatitis. Second, the test may be accurate but is not a reliable indicator of prostate cancer. There have been many men with a high PSA who were found to not have prostate cancer.
Why Have Your PSA Level Tested By A Healthcare Professional?
While the Landmark PSA test might be accurate by itself, it is not the only thing your doctor or healthcare provider will do to determine if you have cancer or a benign condition such as prostatitis. He or she will perform another important test called a digital rectal exam or DRE. In this test, your doctor inserts a finger in your rectum and feels your prostate to determine if it’s inflamed, tender or has a lump. If you have a high PSA and the DRE shows no problems, your healthcare provider will most likely order some more tests, such as a urinalysis (to rule out a urinary tract infection), an X-ray, cystoscopy, transrectal ultrasound or even a biopsy.
If you use the Landmark home PSA test and find you have an elevated PSA level, you should schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider to go over your results. As you just read, there are other tests that need to be done to determine the cause of your elevated PSA level.
When You Should Begin PSA Testing
If you are a white male over the age of 50 or an African-American male over the age of 40, the experts suggest you begin PSA testing at once. This is especially true if you have the symptoms of an enlarged prostate as described above.
You can have your PSA tested by your doctor or if you would like to keep the results private, you can use the Landmark PSA Prostate Cancer Screening Test. Either way, you will know your PSA and can either see your healthcare provider or just wait another year and test yourself again.