Do A Psa Test In Bangkok Outside Of A Hospital - Where?

[jko]

I don't want to go to a hospital for a simple PSA test and all the hassle this involves - registering, seeing a doctor, waiting, etc., and probably being overcharged.

Does anybody know a reliable medical lab in Bangkok where you can walk in, have it done, and get the result in a reasonable time?

[Tolley]

Are you sure you want to do a PSA test?

Many doctors are now recommending against taking a PSA test as it leads to many unecessary interventions.

[bunnaag]

if you dont have a problem do not take the test.

[offset]

if you dont have a problem do not take the test.

I never had a problem but i still had cancer of the prostate which was highlighted by a PSA test when i went for a medical for insurance

[Tolley]

if you dont have a problem do not take the test.

I never had a problem but i still had cancer of the prostate which was highlighted by a PSA test when i went for a medical for insurance

A huge proportion of elderly men have prostate cancer and most of them die of something else.

Not sure how old you are or whether it is an agressive cancer or not but there are natural remedies that can alleviate prostate problems.

[bunnaag]

if you dont have a problem do not take the test.

I never had a problem but i still had cancer of the prostate which was highlighted by a PSA test when i went for a medical for insurance

what happened then?Did you have biopsies and an operation.

[Sheryl]

I don't know about any stand alone labs, but the lowest hassle means of doing this at a hospital is to go to the health check up section and request it there.

[jko]

Thanks everyone for replies so far.

I want to have a test simply because cancer and prostate cancer runs in the family, and a PSA test, although not definitive, in my opinion is the easiest way to monitor yourself, and take action if necessary.

Two of my friends in their late 60's - after initially discrediting and pooh-poohing the need for PSA tests - did eventually have them done in the UK although they were both symptom-free, and supremely fit for their age.

They were shocked to find the lab results were abnormally elevated (one reading was in the high 20's - normal is considred below 4) and both turned out to have cancer - one tumour was in situ, but the high 20's PSA reading had already spread outside the gland to the seminal vesicles, and beyond.

Early diagnosis in any kind of cancer is your best bet for beating it with the treatments available, and to my mind, not having a PSA when you're over 60 is risking having the disease without noticing any symptoms, and dying from it when symptoms do appear, as it has usually spread by that stage.

Here are some stats and info from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia: Look particularly at the mortality rate versus breast cancer.

Prostate Cancer Statistics

• Each year in Australia, close to 3,300 men die of prostate cancer, which exceeds the number of women who die from breast cancer annually. Around 20,000 new cases are diagnosed in Australia every year.
  
• Each day about 32 men learn news that they have prostate cancer - tragically one man every three hours will lose his battle against this insidious disease
  
• One in 9 men in Australia will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime
  
• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men and is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men
  
• Each year more Australian men die from prostate cancer than women die from breast cancer but... a national survey by PCFA in 2002 showed that while 78% of women felt well informed about breast cancer – only 52% of men felt informed about prostate cancer
  
• The chance of developing prostate cancer increases:
  
  • as men get older.
    
  • if there is a family history of prostate cancer eg a man with a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer
    

  [*]Early, curable prostate cancer may not have symptoms. While younger men are less likely to be diagnosed with it, they are more likely to die prematurely from it

  [*]Simple testing by a GP can indicate prostate cancer

  [*]Early detection can be achieved with PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test or DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) testing. Our research in 2002 shows that only 10% of men surveyed between the ages of 50 and 70 had taken these tests in the previous year.

  [*]Some groups are at greater risk of prostate cancer

  [*]... for example, for every 100 men who dies of prostate cancer in a metropolitan area of Australia (such as Melbourne or Sydney) 121 men will die in rural Australia. Various factors may include lack of awareness and education about prostate cancer, distance from testing and treatment, poor GP awareness and limited access to specialists (such as urologists)

  [*]The Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia states that veterans have a 53% higher mortality rate from prostate cancer than the average population

  [*]A recently published international study showed that firefighters have a 28% higher risk of prostate cancer

  What testing methods are available?

  There is currently no population based screening for prostate cancer and this leads to confusion amongst men and their doctors. There are issues related to testing and treatment which should be discussed prior to making a decision whether to be tested. For more information go to: www.prostate.org.au/testing-for-prostate-cancer.php

  Two simple tests can be done by a doctor.:

  • The Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). The doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate gland. This may detect hard lumps in the prostate before symptoms occur

  • The Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test. This test measures the amount of PSA in the blood. PSA blood test is not a cancer specific diagnostic test however it will alert doctors to abnormal growth in the prostate. A combination of both a DRE and PSA blood test is recommended. These tests should be considered as part of a general male health check annually from 50 years of age or 40 if there is a family history of prostate cancer. If either the DRE or PSA tests are abnormal, the doctor may conduct a second series of tests or refer to a Urologist, who may recommend a biopsy. The biopsy is a definitive way of diagnosing prostate cancer and will determine the stage (how far the cancer has spread) and grade (how rapidly it is likely to spread). This information is used to determine the risk the cancer poses to the man’s health and life expectancy.

[Sheryl]

PSA is a good screening test for cancer of the prostate (understanding of course that an elevated result may have severakl causes -- it is just a means of screening, not a diagnostic tool).

And while there are some cancers iof the prostate that are slow growing, not all are; some are quite aggressive. And, not everyone with it is elderly.

Men do die every year oif this derisease, some of them well before their time. It is worth checking for especially if there is a family history of it.