[Prostate specific antigen: its proper diagnostic use].

A TISSUE MARKER

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a tissue marker and not a tumor marker. When ordered for the right situation, i.e. when the clinical presentation is compatible with prostatic cancer, PSA assay can be a remarkable tool for early diagnosis and beneficial therapeutic care. IN PATIENTS OVER 70: A PSA assay is not necessarily indicated for men over 70 years of age unless digital exploration of the prostate or other signs suggest prostatic disease. IN PATIENTS UNDER 70: In patients whose life expectancy is greater than 10 to 15 years, serum PSA above the laboratory's upper limit for normal is an indication for ultrasonographic exploration of the prostate with systematic biopsy.