Is the prostate health number 37 significantly elevated?

The "prostate health number" you are talking about is most likely the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) commonly used in clinical practice. If it is this indicator, 37ng/ml is far beyond the conventional reference interval (0~4ng/ml), which is a very clear and significant increase. Do not take it seriously.

But don’t be frightened to death as soon as you see the numerical value. I just saw a 54-year-old Chen last month. The physical examination at the office showed PSA36.8. My hands were shaking when I took the report, saying that he must have cancer. I asked around carefully and found out that he drank two kilograms of white wine with his friends the night before the physical examination, and held his urine for more than two hours while driving home. It hurt when he urinated. Combined with the results of the digital examination and urine test, it was an increase in PSA caused by acute bacterial prostatitis. He took antibiotics for three weeks and then re-examined, and the value dropped directly to 4.7, basically returning to normal.

But you can’t hold off with the fluke mentality of “I must also have inflammation.” After all, among the causes of elevated PSA, prostate cancer is the malignant factor that requires the most vigilance. Clinically, as long as the PSA exceeds 10ng/ml, prostate cancer will be diagnosed as the highest priority, not to mention 37, which is nearly 9 times higher than the normal value. Many early-stage prostate cancer patients I have met before, the initial PSA test was in the range of 20 to 50.

Nowadays, the academic community will never make a diagnosis based on a PSA value alone. In addition to the acute prostatitis mentioned above, severe prostatic hyperplasia, urinary retention, and even digital rectal examination, prostate massage, and sexual intercourse within 24 hours before the physical examination may lead to a transient increase in PSA. After getting the results, you can first recall whether there are any of these interference items, and then seek an evaluation from a urology specialist as soon as possible. Generally, the results will be combined with the results of digital rectal examination and multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate. If there is a high degree of suspicion of abnormalities, a prostate biopsy can be performed to clarify the nature.

Especially for men over 50 years old or with a family history of prostate cancer, it is originally recommended to conduct routine PSA screening once a year. If an abnormality is found, don’t blindly rely on the information on the Internet. Early detection, whether it is inflammation or tumor, will have a much better intervention effect than delaying it later.