Having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test result above 4.0 ng/mL is considered abnormal and it is worth closer testing, a physician said yesterday, as he suggested individuals with a family history of prostate cancer begin regular screening from an earlier age.
A 42-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), was tested with a PSA level of 5.4 ng/mL more than a year ago, but he did not experience any discomfort, while other tests, including a digital rectal examination, showed no signs of prostate inflammation, but a ultrasound showed a mildly enlarged prostate with a small nodule of about 7.9mm, Shu Tien Clinic Department of Urology director Chou Ku (周固) said.
In a follow-up visit, Chen’s PSA level was tested to be even higher at 5.57 ng/mL and his free PSA level was 13 percent, so the doctor suggested he get a biopsy to investigate the condition, but he refused, Chou said.
Photo: CNA
Chen was again tested with a higher PSA level of 5.29ng/mL in the next follow-up visit, and he agreed to get a biopsy, confirming it was prostate cancer, Chou said, adding that he was referred to a larger hospital for radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy.
Prostate cancer is generally found in men aged 65 or older, while the incidence rate for men aged 40 to 44 is approximately two to five per 100,000 men and lower than one per 100,000 in men aged younger than 40, he said.
However, men with a family history or lifestyle risk factors, including smoking or high consumption of alcohol or processed meat, risk of developing the disease at a younger age, he added.
“Prostate cancer in younger men tends to be more aggressive, faster-growing and poses a higher risk of spreading [metastasis],” Chou said
Younger people have more remaining life expectancy, so active treatment is recommended, he added.
Chou said most early-stage prostate cancers do not have any symptoms and when they do, they often share similar symptoms with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, noncancerous prostate enlargement), such as frequent urination (particularly at night) or weak urine flow.
Tested with a high level of PSA does not necessarily indicate the presence of prostate cancer, as benign conditions such as BPH, inflammation, infection or sexual activity might affect PSA levels, so getting examinations for confirmation is recommended, he said.
Meanwhile, men with a family history — particularly if a first-degree relative (father or brother) has had the disease — are recommended to start getting PSA tests regularly from 10 years before the age that their family member was diagnosed with it and avoid lifestyle risk factors to better prevent prostate cancer, Chou said.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was sentenced to six months in prison, commutable to a fine, by the New Taipei District Court today for contravening the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) in a case linked to an alleged draft-dodging scheme. Wang allegedly paid NT$3.6 million (US$114,380) to an illegal group to help him evade mandatory military service through falsified medical documents, prosecutors said. He transferred the funds to Chen Chih-ming (陳志明), the alleged mastermind of a draft-evasion ring, although he lost contact with him as he was already in detention on fraud charges, they said. Chen is accused of helping a
SECURITY: Starlink owner Elon Musk has taken pro-Beijing positions, and allowing pro-China companies to control Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is risky, a legislator said Starlink was reluctant to offer services in Taiwan because of the nation’s extremely high penetration rates in 4G and 5G services, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday. The ministry made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, which reviewed amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法). Article 36 bans foreigners from holding more than 49 percent of shares in public telecommunications networks, while shares foreigners directly and indirectly hold are also capped at 60 percent of the total, unless specified otherwise by law. The amendments, sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko
NON-RED SUPPLY: Boosting the nation’s drone industry is becoming increasingly urgent as China’s UAV dominance could become an issue in a crisis, an analyst said Taiwan’s drone exports to Europe grew 41.7-fold from 2024 to last year, with demand from Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression the most likely driver of growth, a study showed. The Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET) in a statement on Wednesday said it found that many of Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) sales were from Poland and the Czech Republic. These countries likely transferred the drones to Ukraine to aid it in its fight against the Russian invasion that started in 2022, it said. Despite the gains, Taiwan is not the dominant drone exporter to these markets, ranking second and fourth
The eastern extension of the Taipei MRT Red Line could begin operations as early as late June, the Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems said yesterday. Taipei Rapid Transit Corp said it is considering offering one month of free rides on the new section to mark its opening. Construction progress on the 1.4km extension, which is to run from the current terminal Xiangshan Station to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, was 90.6 percent complete by the end of last month, the department said in a report to the Taipei City Council's Transportation Committee. While construction began in October 2016 with an
RSS