PSA analysis with prostatitis: the norm, the features of preparation and recommendations

Protein PSA is a prostatic specific antigen, the production of which is carried out by the tissues of the prostate. This protein is required for the dilution of male sperm. It should be noted that malignant neoplasms produce a greater amount of this substance. That's why PSA is used as a cancer marker for prostate cancer. In this case, the amount of protein produced can be affected by any pathological process. Therefore, the analysis of PSA with the prostatitis is mandatory. It will allow to reveal an oncology or an adenoma.

Why does the level of protein increase?

To determine the level of protein, a blood test of PSA is common with prostatitis. The antigen value is no more than 4 ng / ml. The production of this protein increases significantly when malignant cells are formed. In the rest, antigen production is increased due to other factors:

1. The level of PSA can increase as a result of infection, which is accompanied by an inflammatory process. In this case, there is a violation of the barrier functions of the tissues, which allows the substance to gradually penetrate into the blood.
2. The protein can more actively enter the bloodstream if the overgrown tissues in benign prostatic hyperplasia start to put pressure on the rest of the organ tissue.

It is worth noting that the analysis of PSA with prostatitis allows you to identify any deviations and abnormalities in the prostate gland. Most of the men who have an elevated antigen level do not suffer from oncology. The protein concentration may increase as a result of surgical intervention on the bladder or prostate biopsy, as well as with ejaculation and prolonged exercise.

When an assay is administered

Not only with the prostatitis you need to take an analysis for PSA. Such laboratory research is appointed:

1. To monitor the progress of prostate cancer. That allows you to check the effectiveness of the selected therapy.
2. With suspicions of prostate cancer. This can occur as a result of other studies: ultrasound, rectal finger examination and so on.
3. For prevention. Such an analysis is assigned to men over 40 years of age to detect an increase in the PSA level.
4. After the antitumor treatment, which was carried out after detection of prostate cancer. After such therapy it is recommended to undergo such examination every 3 months.

Preparation for analysis

To pass the PSA analysis with the prostatitis, you must carefully prepare. Otherwise, the protein level indicators will be incorrect. Experts recommend:

1. 8 hours before the delivery of blood, refuse to eat, including the use of alcohol, coffee, tea and juice.
2. From sexual intercourse, it is worthwhile to abstain for 5-7 days before taking the test.
3. To pass the analysis should be after 12-14 days after the examination of the urologist or before visiting this specialist.
4. If prostate massage, transrectal ultrasound, catheterization of the bladder or cystoscopy, rectal finger examination or other mechanical effects on the prostate is performed, then the analysis should be given 2 weeks after similar methods of examination, and after a biopsy of the prostate tissue - after 1 month.

A study is conducted in the laboratory for one day. The patient needs to write a referral from the attending physician, prepare, and then donate blood from the vein. In some cases, a definition of either total PSA or free antigen is required. This is required for an accurate diagnosis.

How to understand the results

The analysis of PSA with prostatitis can be interpreted in several ways. The level of antigen, as a rule, is measured in nanograms per 1 milliliter of blood. However, some experts say that it is necessary to lower the minimum threshold to 2.5 ng / mg. This, of course, will allow us to discover more diseases of the prostate. However, there is a risk that doctors as a result of this test will begin to treat cancer, which is clinically irrelevant. When carrying out the diagnosis, only three forms of protein are taken into account:

1. Prostatic free specific antigen. It is contained in the blood and accounts for only 20% of the total PSA level.
2. Protein bound to a2-macroglobulin or to a1-antichymotrypsin. Only the last kind of antigen can be determined in a laboratory.
3. The total PSA is a combination of protein that penetrates the blood.

What indicates prostatitis

Prostatitis, in fact, is not a malignant disease. After all, it does not even increase the likelihood of cancer of the gland. However, regular monitoring of the PSA level allows the specialist to correctly correct therapy aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process.

If the antigen concentration is 4 to 10 ng / ml, then this may indicate the development of the following ailments:

• prostatitis;
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia;
• Oncology of the prostate, in this case the risk of diagnosing this disease increases by 25%.

It should be noted that this indicator of the level of PSA specialists called the gray zone. If the concentration of antigen increases more than 10 ng / ml, the probability of development of the oncological process increases by about 67%.

Often, the level of total PSA directly depends on the type of prostate disease. Such an analysis is often used for differential diagnosis.

How to determine the disease

If the PSA blood test is common for prostatitis and the protein level is at least 4 ng / ml and not more than 10 ng / ml, then when the diagnosis is made doctors look at the following protein fractions and their ratios:

1. Reducing the concentration of free antigen increases the risk of developing cancer. This is due to the fact that a large number of a1-atikhymotrypsin is produced by malignant cells. This increases the protein concentration in the bound form.
2. Increasing the concentration of free antigen, on the contrary, reduces the risk of oncology. In this case, such an indicator may indicate the presence of chronic prostatitis.

Additional information

The PSA blood test is common for prostatitis, the cost of which is specified in the polyclinic, is recommended for men over the age of 50 years each year. At the same time, to improve the test, specialists introduced additional indicators that allow us to treat the protein in accordance with various parameters.

The analysis takes into account the density of PSA. This makes it possible to calculate the antigen concentration in relation to the size of the gland itself, which is determined by transrectal ultrasound. Low protein density may indicate that the main cause of its growth lies in the development of prostatitis.

Also the speed of PSA is taken into account. This is a comparison of the antigen for certain periods of time. If the indicator increases rapidly, the doctor can diagnose acute prostatitis or an initial stage of cancer.

The level of protein needs to be monitored

Track the level of protein allows only a blood test of PSA common with prostatitis. The features of this test should be known to the expert. For example, recent studies have shown that the prostate can lead to an increase in serum antigen levels. The test should be taken even in those cases where there are no signs of inflammation and a digital rectal examination did not reveal any anomalies, and the rate of increase in PSA concentration increased.

Such phenomena first of all indicate that the main organ of the reproductive system does not perform its functions due to certain violations. If there were sharp jumps in the indicators, then experts recommend:

1. If the protein level has significantly increased, then it is worth checking for signs of prostatitis, as well as genitourinary infection.
2. After treatment of prostatitis or urogenital infection, a second PSA test should be performed.

Even if the prostatitis was not diagnosed, then make another test for the antigen is still worth it. If the protein level remains elevated, the doctor may prescribe a biopsy. This will either exclude or confirm the development of oncology.

In conclusion

How much does the PSA test for prostatitis? The price of this test is from 600 rubles and above. At the same time, in some clinics, the patient must additionally pay for the collection of blood from the vein. The exact price can be specified in the laboratory.

It is worth noting that there is no direct evidence that prostatitis leads to prostate cancer. Malignant cells do not always form. However, the histological signs of prostatitis are often detected by specialists precisely in the study of prostate cancer tissues. Therefore, a blood test for the amount of PSA should be done regularly.