The Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test

Dr. Mike Evans is founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital.

Written and Narrated by Dr. Mike Evans
Executive Producer, Dr. Mike Evans
Illustrations by Liisa Sorsa
Produced, Directed, and Photographed by Nick De Pencier
Editor, David Schmidt
Story/Graphic Facilitator, Disa Kauk
Production Assistant, Chris Niesing
Director of Operations, Mike Heinrich

©2014 Michael Evans and Reframe Health Films Inc.

[natura]

Hi Dr. Mike, I'm studying to become a medical interpreter and I often have to watch various medical videos in order to get a better understanding of the human anatomy, various diseases, treatments, etc. I so appreciated this PSA Testing video. It was creative and fun to watch. So, thank you, I'll be watching more of your videos.

[drkenfp]

Dr. Mike - your videos have become a standard patient education resource in my practice in Michigan. Thank you!!

[deven]

I feel it's best to follow up a psa with a MRI or CT scan to see those anomalies.

I feel that a scan of the groin area could view a multitude of areas in one go

[mtsai]

Excellent educational video. Every man with question about prostate cancer should watch it.

[darnyank]

Thank you sooo much for taking the time to provide this information.

[Widebody]

Thank you Dr. Mike!!! It looks like you made this video for me. I am 78 Y.O. and my PSA is 215!!! and I am in a panic state. In 2003 I had a indigo laser (waste of money) same year a TURP 10 grams (negative for cancer) in 2008 another TURP 53 grams negative for cancer. I'm afraid of all the treatments most of all biopsies with needle and radiation. Again thank you for your honesty. All I ever ask of a doctor is be honest no more.

[wardboole]

So, this discussion and the comments amaze me. I am a 70 year old man who has been battling Advanced Metastatic Prostate Cancer since June of 2009. I had never heard of the PSA test and at age 59 my general practitioner chose to do a PSA test as part of my physical. In my case it turned out that I had a very aggressive form of PC with a PSA of 75. Of course then came scans and biopsies where a Gleason score of 9 was found. The cancer had escaped the Prostate gland and spread to distant lymph nodes also confirmed by biopsy. I understand where this is video and discussion is coming form but I and my whole family thank God I did not see this video before my diagnosis and prevented my doctor from doing the test. The real issue here is not "should we be doing the test" but what do we do with the information once we get the results. Don't blame the PSA test for the foolishness of people (including both doctors and patients) and their reactions to the results. Note: In all my years this is the first time I have ever commented on Youtube but I thought

[antoniagreco]

THIS WAS A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION WOW MY GRANDFATHER DIED OF PROSTATE CANCER MY FATHER DIED FROM IT AND MY UNCLE ALL THE MEN SAME FAMILY MY BROTHER WHO IS 54 WENT TO CANADA AND HE'S OK NOW BUT HE HAS 3 SONS 17, 15 AND 12 THEY ALL ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS IM GOING TO SEND THEM THIS VIDEO IT WAS GREAT THANK YOU.

[samcole]

Been going to a urologist for over 10 years because my PSA is high.Have had biopsies and scans and all have negative. PSA has been in the upper teens for over 7 years.

[docpj]

Good video-I try to have an educated discussion re. pros/cons of this test at a patient's medical since the evidence isn't nearly as compelling as for screens such as mammograms for breast cancer-tough to be the rare bird with the aggressive type of prostate cancer...

[peterthillaye]

Thank Dr Mike very helpful . any thoughts now in 2020 about to test /find the aggressive variant of cancer you described .?

[jamescave]

Hi Mike, This is a great video. Thank you for taking the time to do it. Your summary of the evidence is fair and comprehensive.\I will recommend it to my patients

[jamesburgin]

One additional problem with the PSA is that Life Insurance Companies test you for it--and don't tell you.  In essence, they take the choice of having one or not away from you.  To make matters worse, they don't tell you some of the things that might make a temporary rise in the PSA possible--like sex within 24-48 hours, riding a bicycle or motorcycle within 7 days, etc.  That being said, I wish somebody would sue the pants off of these giant corporations to make them more accountable.  But here in the U.S.A. they control the politicians who are only too happy to pocket the money given to them for their next campaigns.  This is further complicated by the fact that too many urologists make money from biopsies and the false positives add to their coffers as well.  So they like the PSA and don't want anybody to change it.  Somebody like the New York Times or MSNBC really needs to expose these frauds.

[kingofcelts]

Will probably get my PSA test soon. Wonderfully explained Dr. Mike, thanks..

[mikikikimukiwuki]

thank you DocMikeEvans. I appreciate this education.

[jcolumbiap]

I am looking at the connection between adrenaline and PSA. I was doing too much speed work and my PSA went up a bit from the previous year.

[MrCWoodhouse]

Dr. Mike,   How does mpMRI change the scenario?

[Duriel]

Thanks for this. Especially pointing out that many men live fine with prostate cancer without them even knowing they had it. Is psa the same or better than a prostate exam?

[jameshaydon]

Because of the blood PSA test I ended up with advanced prostate cancer. My GP ignored all the symptoms because my psa levels were normal. I found out from my oncologist that 15% of men are non secreters so the blood test was useless so if you end up in the same position as me seek a second opinion.

[dman]

So after much research and debate i have decided to flip a coin