What is the role of Prostate specific antigen (PSA) test in prostate cancer?

The role of the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test in the context of prostate cancer primarily revolves around its use as a screening tool, although it can also have implications for diagnosis, monitoring treatment, and assessing prognosis. However, the most appropriate role identified in the given context focuses on its use in diagnosis.

The PSA test measures the level of prostate-specific antigen in the blood, which is a protein produced by both normal and malignant cells of the prostate gland. Elevated levels of PSA can indicate the presence of prostate cancer, but they can also be due to benign conditions. Hence, when the PSA levels are high, further diagnostic procedures, such as a prostate biopsy, are often warranted to confirm the presence of cancer.

In the diagnostic process, PSA plays a crucial role as it provides valuable information that can lead to definitive imaging and biopsies to assess if cancer is present or if treatment is needed. While the test is often associated with screening in the general population to detect prostate cancer early, in a clinical setting, its function aligns closely with helping to confirm whether a patient exhibits cancerous changes that necessitate further medical intervention.

Other roles such as screening and guiding treatment decisions are certainly relevant to the clinical use of PSA but may not specifically