PCA 3, which stands for Gen 3 for prostate cancer, is a urine test that aims to effectively diagnose prostate cancer, and you don’t need a PSA test, transrectal ultrasound, or prostate biopsy for prostate cancer to be diagnosed.
In addition to allowing the diagnosis of prostate cancer, pca 3 is able to provide information on the severity of this type of cancer, being useful for the urologist to indicate the best form of treatment.
- PCA 3 is needed to assist in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.
- Diagnosis of prostate cancer is currently made based on PSA test results.
- Transrectal ultrasound.
- And rectal tissue biopsy.
- But psa augmentation is not always indicative of cancer.
- And can only indicate benign enlargement of the prostate.
- Find out how to understand the outcome of the PSA.
Thus, the PCA 3 test provides a more accurate result with respect to the diagnosis of prostate cancer, in addition, it is able to provide information on the severity of the cancer: the higher the result of ACP 3, the greater the likelihood of a prostate.being the positive biopsy.
PCA 3 can also be used to monitor the patient’s response to cancer treatment, telling the doctor whether the treatment is effective or not.Generally, when PCA 3 levels continue to increase even after treatment begins, this means that treatment is not effective and other types of treatment, such as surgery or chemotherapy, for example, are generally recommended.
This test is suitable for all men, but mainly for those who have suspected PSA, transrectal ultrasound or rectal rectal result, as well as a family history, even in the absence of symptoms.This test may also be requested prior to biopsy, and may be excluded when PCA 3 is in high concentrations, or when the prostate biopsy has been performed one or more times but there is no diagnostic conclusion.
PCA 3 may also be prescribed by your doctor in patients who have had a positive prostate biopsy for cancer, being indicated in these cases to check the severity of prostate cancer, indicating the best form of treatment.
Typically, this test is not necessary for men who use medications that interfere with PSA concentration in the blood, such as finasteride, for example.
The PCA 3 test is performed by collecting urine after a rectal touch, as a prostate massage is needed for this gene to be released into the urine.This test is more specific to prostate cancer than PSA, for example, because it is not influenced by other noncancerous diseases or an enlarged prostate.
After a rectal touch, urine should be collected in an appropriate container and sent to the laboratory for analysis, in which molecular tests are performed to identify the presence and concentration of this gene in the urine, indicating not only prostate cancer, but also severity., which may suggest the best form of treatment. Digital rectal examination is essential for the release of this gene into the urine, otherwise the test result will not be correct.Understand how the digital rectal exam is performed.
In addition to providing more specific tests for prostate cancer, this test can eliminate the need for a prostate biopsy, which is usually negative in approximately 75% of cases when PSA increases and rectal touch indicates enlarged prostate.