From the Guidelines
Prostate cancer can indeed affect certain blood test numbers, particularly PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) levels, and if you have prostate cancer, your PSA level is likely to be elevated above the normal range of 0-4 ng/mL. If you have prostate cancer, your blood test numbers may be off, particularly your PSA level, which is likely to be elevated above the normal range of 0-4 ng/mL, though the specific number varies depending on the cancer's stage and aggressiveness 1. Other blood tests like complete blood count might show abnormalities if the cancer is advanced and has spread beyond the prostate. However, it's essential to understand that elevated PSA alone doesn't definitively diagnose cancer, as other conditions like prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia can also raise PSA levels 1. Additionally, some men with prostate cancer may have normal PSA readings. If you're concerned about prostate cancer, your doctor would typically order a PSA test along with a digital rectal exam, and if warranted, follow up with imaging studies and possibly a biopsy for definitive diagnosis 1. Some key points to consider include:
- PSA levels between 2.5 ng/mL and 4.0 ng/mL may require individualized risk assessment, as multiple studies have demonstrated that greater than 20% of men whose PSA values fall in this range will have prostate cancers on biopsy, many of which are clinically important 1.
- The American Cancer Society recommends that health care providers consider an individualized risk assessment that incorporates other risk factors for prostate cancer, particularly for high-grade cancer, which may be used for a biopsy or referral recommendation 1.
- Regular PSA screening is generally recommended for men over 50, or earlier for those with risk factors like family history 1. It's also important to note that prostate biopsies aren't perfect tests and sometimes miss cancer when present, and some doctors recommend a second set of biopsies if the first set is negative 1. Overall, while prostate cancer can affect blood test numbers, a comprehensive diagnosis requires a combination of PSA testing, digital rectal exam, imaging studies, and possibly a biopsy.
From the FDA Drug Label
6.9 Changes in Laboratory Values During Treatment
Having prostate cancer may affect your blood numbers, but the provided drug label for goserelin does not directly state how prostate cancer itself will affect blood numbers. However, it does mention changes in laboratory values during treatment with goserelin, which may be relevant for patients with prostate cancer undergoing treatment.
- The label does not provide information on how prostate cancer, without treatment, affects blood numbers.
- Prostatic Carcinoma is mentioned as an indication for the use of goserelin, but the label does not directly address the question of whether prostate cancer will cause changes in blood numbers 2.
From the Research
Prostate Cancer and Blood Numbers
If you have prostate cancer, your blood numbers may be affected. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test is commonly used to monitor prostate cancer progression and recurrence 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
PSA Levels and Prostate Cancer
- PSA levels in serum correlate with disease progression, although its diagnostic accuracy is questionable 3.
- Significant progress has been made in developing modified PSA tests to improve diagnostic accuracy 3.
- PSA levels may be elevated due to various reasons, including prostatitis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and cancer 4.
- The value of the PSA test varies when used for screening, diagnosis, prognosis, or as a signal of disease recurrence 4, 6.
Interpreting PSA Test Results
- Absolute levels of PSA are rarely meaningful; it is the relative change in PSA levels over time that provides insight into disease progression or recurrence 4, 5.
- A single PSA determination should be used as a baseline, with biopsy and cancer treatment reserved for those with significant PSA changes over time or clinical manifestations mandating immediate therapy 4.
- PSA secretion is under hormonal control and may be affected by drug therapy, disease stage, and genetic factors 4.
Other Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer
- Several new biomarkers have become available to supplement the role of PSA in prostate cancer management, including percent free PSA, prostate health index (PHI), and the 4K score 7.
- Tissue-based multigene tests, such as Decipher, Oncotype DX (Prostate), Prolaris, and ProMark, may be used to determine aggressiveness and predict outcome 7.