Men Over 70 Reap the Most Benefit From PSA Testing

According to a study by the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, men over the age of 70 have higher risk factors for prostate cancer, which generally leads to poorer outcomes. However, Dr. David B. Samadi is quick to advise his over-70 patients that the PSA is still the best early defense for prostate cancer. “I’m very hopeful that the findings could lead to revised testing guidelines for PSAs which are currently the best diagnostic tool for the disease,” said Dr. Samadi, a robotic prostatectomy, prostate cancer treatment, and robotic surgery expert, Vice Chairman, Department of Urology, and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.

The research, which was published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology, demonstrated that the exact science behind this trend is unknown. “The findings show that as men get older, parameters consistent with more aggressive prostate cancer become prevalent,” said Dr. Samadi. But the research could have a definitive impact on current screening and treatment recommendations.

Researchers studied the medical records of more than 12,000 men and found that men over age 70 were much more likely to have a higher clinical stage, biopsy grade and PSA level than younger men. “This meant either an increased risk of developing prostate cancer or a greater likelihood, about 1.5 times more likely, of poorer treatment outcomes,” said Dr. Samadi, a urologic oncologist and robotic surgery expert who’s performed more than 3,200 successful prostate surgeries in his practice.

There is a link between elevated PSA levels and increased odds of developing prostate cancer

Despite recent controversy in the medical community over the validity of PSA testing, Dr. Samadi believes the test is still the most accurate warning sign of prostate cancer in men. “It is a valuable tool because of its ability to provide an early diagnosis in order to fight prostate cancer in its earliest stages, when it is easiest to do so,” said Samadi.

Dr. Samadi believes there is little evidence that refutes the benefits of PSA testing. “Doctors have always known there is a link between elevated PSA levels and increased odds of developing prostate cancer,” he said. As always, he urges men to get regular PSA testing to ensure that any potential problems are take care of early, while they are still treatable. “Prostate cancer is no longer a death sentence, if the patient is proactive and diligent in getting tested,” said Samadi.

Dr. Samadi does not only rely on the PSA test to arrive at a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Instead, he relies on combination of the PSA, DRE and Gleason scores to determine the prognosis of prostate cancer. However, as a standalone test, Samadi believes the PSA is the best diagnostic tool for prostate cancer, especially in monitoring PSA fluctuations, which is vital for tracking prostate cancer.