Prostate Cancer/PSA Test
Prostate cancer is inherited. If your father or uncle had it, your risks are higher.
I did not know this until I got prostate cancer. My father had it. They caught it early. He underwent surgery. He lived until age 91.
Had I known about the genetic connection, I would have had a PSA test every five years, beginning at age 55. I got my first test at age 74. That was in 2017.
Normal is 0-4. My PSA was 45. It rapidly moved to 77.
I got a biopsy. I had a Gleason score of 9 in every sample. The top is 10. My cancer was stage III. There is nothing above stage IV.
Good news: I am now back to a PSA of 0.1. I offer my personal story here:
I am not convinced that every adult male should get a PSA test every year from age 50 on. But if this disease runs in your family, you should get a test by at least 55.
One physician told me years ago: "You will either die with prostate cancer or die from it." Don't panic if the number is over 4. But if it's above 10, it's time to start researching treatments. Talk with your physician.