Prostate Cancer Screening In Winnipeg
Men’s Health Clinic Manitoba in Winnipeg provides essential prostate cancer screenings, including PSA tests and digital rectal exams, for early detection and treatment planning.
Prostate Cancer Screening in Winnipeg
Prostate Cancer Screening is a proactive approach to detect the early signs of prostate cancer in men. As with many health conditions, early detection is often the key to more effective treatments and better outcomes. The screening involves tests that help identify the presence of cancerous cells in the prostate gland before they manifest as noticeable symptoms.
Common screening methods include the PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test and the digital rectal exam (DRE). While these screenings can provide valuable insights, it’s essential to discuss with a healthcare professional to understand the benefits, risks, and appropriate frequency of these tests.
To simplify: Prostate Cancer Screening is like a routine check-up for your prostate, ensuring everything is functioning as it should and catching potential issues early on.
At Men’s Health Clinic Manitoba, we emphasize the importance of regular prostate cancer screenings for eligible men in Winnipeg, providing them with guidance, care, and the necessary tools to make informed decisions about their health.
Treatment Highlights
Early Detection
Prostate cancer screenings at Men's Health Clinic Manitoba enable early identification of cancerous cells, facilitating prompt treatment.
Personalized Care
The clinic offers tailored guidance for regular screenings, empowering men to make informed decisions about their prostate health.
Frequently asked questions about prostate cancer screening
The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that men over the age of 50 discuss PSA screening. In men of African-Canadian decent or those with a family history of prostate cancer, consideration towards earlier screening from age 45 can be considered. The Canadian Urological Association also suggests offering PSA screening to men with a life expectancy greater than 10 years. Depending on the initial test result, a individualized follow-up plan should be determined.
Screening men for prostate cancer involves checking for the disease before there may be any symptoms with the goal to identify cancer early. Screening for prostate cancer involves a blood test (PSA) and a physical exam by an experienced health care provider. Using these tests together is better than using one of them alone. When prostate cancer is found early, there is a better chance of cure.
PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen)
This is a blood test that was introduced in the early 1990’s to help identify men with prostate cancer. PSA is made by the prostate and changes as men get older. This is an imperfect test, meaning that there may be some men with an abnormal test result who do not have prostate cancer, and there may be men with a normal result that have prostate cancer. The PSA itself cannot diagnose prostate cancer, but can help doctors determine if it is a concern for you. PSA screening should be based on shared-decision making between yourself and your doctor after reviewing the potential benefits and harms of testing.
Digital rectal exam
In most situations, your doctor will also recommend a quick exam of your prostate to assess for any areas of firmness and to estimate the size of your prostate. This is done by having a rectal exam in the clinic with a quick gloved finger check through the rectum. Larger prostates can make more PSA and considering your blood test results in the context of your physical exam can be useful for your doctor.
In general, the benefits of PSA testing include:
reassurance if the test is normal, and
detection of prostate cancer before symptoms occur and before it spreads.
The limitations of PSA screening include:
anxiety about a test result (can be sometimes be elevated even when there is no cancer (false positive) or can be normal even when prostate cancer is present (false negative);
may detect slowly growing prostate cancer that may never need treatment;
cannot distinguish between slow and fast-growing prostate cancers;
may lead to additional tests that can have additional risks.
In men with abnormal screening tests, additional testing may be required, including a transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy. Dr. Nayak performs the biopsy himself at the Manitoba Prostate Centre at CancerCare Manitoba with local anesthetic. A prostate biopsy is the only way to detect prostate cancer. Occasionally, an MRI of the prostate may also be used for the detection of prostate cancer, at the discretion of the urologist.
