Can a psa test be wrong?

Ah, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. One of the most contentious medical tests out there. Is it accurate? Is it reliable? Or is it just a load of hogwash? If you’re scratching your head and pondering these questions, then worry not – you’re not alone! In this post, we’ll answer one simple question: can a PSA test be wrong?

The Basics

Before we dive into whether or not a PSA test can provide inaccurate results, let’s first discuss what exactly this test measures.

The PSA protein lives in your prostate gland and gets released when you ejaculate. So if there’s something amiss with your prostate (such as inflammation or cancer), then more PSA will leak into your bloodstream than usual.

Simple enough concept to understand right? Well buckle up buttercup because things are about to get juicier than an ripe orange burst!

False Positives

Let’s start by tackling one part of the equation: false positives.

FALSE POSITIVES!!!??? How???

We know that when elevated levels of PSA show up on a blood test it could indicate cancer, but that’s not always true. According to urologists worldwide approximately 70% men who seem identified with Prostate Cancer through the \~guess what\~ PSA result end up having negative biopsies!

You read that right. Seventy percent!

So why do so many people experience false-positive results?

Here are some common causes:

• BPH aka Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Urinary tract infection
• Recent ejaculation
• Physical exertion before specimen collection

Now thankfully being healthy has never been easier thanks to science working behinds us crazy hard but unfortunately..

Wait for it…

Age plays an important role

Perhaps the most important factor to remember is age. The probability of having a false positive result increases as you get older.

Now, this is where one paragraph just isn’t enough, and it’s time to break out into some good old-fashioned bullet points!

Ready or not here they come!

• Men who are 70 years and above have an estimated 25% chance of getting a false-positive PSA result
• Even if your PSA level lands in the normal range for your age group, there’s still a possibility that you’re among those with prostate cancer.

False Negatives

Just as we experienced above scenario let’s bring on the flip side and really amp things up – cue dramatic music.

Before we move forward lets clear all our confusion around what exactly FALSE NEGATIVES mean incase anyone slept through biology classes (oh wait..I’m not allowed self-reference).

In simpler terms, when someone has been tested negative despite them actually being sick or harbouring symptoms for any particular disease. In case of PSA test it means individuals with actual high levels can end up receiving same results as someone seemingly healthy.

And unfortunately folks but yes – this outcome also applies to PSAs which means that somebody might have elevated levels of the prostate-specific antigens protein yet will receive reassuring feedback from their test informing ’em nothing seems wrong at all!

Reasons behind False Negatives

Almost everything in this universe has a mixture of both advantages & disadvantages so why should our beloved medical testing community be left out contrary.

Some factors contributing towards inaccurate PSA results include:

• Type of cancer
• Low-risk cells hiding beyond biopsy detection
• Lab errors due to poor quality control

–> All these scenarios encompass bad jokes therefore I’ll save mine for later..anyway facepalm 🤦‍♀️

Mistakes happen inevitable times no?

The Verdict

So, now that we’ve discussed false positives and false negatives in detail, can a PSA test be wrong?

The answer is yes.

But hold on tight amigos! Before you call your urologist to cancel this month’s checkup let’s remind ourselves..

Though the PSA test lacks specificity (the ability to correctly pick up particular cases of prostate cancer), the exam may still be incredibly valuable for screening those at risk of prostatic issues .

Why?

We must also acknowledge that conditions like Prostate Cancer share an immense amount of tricky symptoms in early stages. Thus catching these problems early with a regular medical examination including prostate screenings remains crucial for all men who hit middle age..or borderline-dying as they refer it!

Final Thoughts

As much as any medical testing even PSA is not 100% fail-proof due to variable externalities; it doesn’t exactly mean quiting extensive health evaluatives. Instead understand body mechanisms and being honest with oneself about current health condition matters way more than anything else (mic drop)