PSA Test Price in Pakistan: PKR 2,310 at Marham Lab

PSA is a protein made by the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system that sits just below the bladder and makes the fluid part of semen. MedlinePlus explains that it is normal to have a low level of PSA in your blood, and that a PSA test measures how much is there. At Marham Lab it costs PKR 2,310.

Do Not Have Sex for 24 Hours Before the Test

This is the preparation instruction almost nobody is given, and it changes results.

MedlinePlus states you will need to avoid having sex or masturbating for 24 hours before your PSA test, because releasing semen can increase PSA levels and make your result less accurate.

A falsely raised PSA is not a harmless error here. It can lead to repeat tests, a rectal examination and in some cases a prostate biopsy, which carries its own risks. One day of abstinence avoids all of that.

Also tell your provider about any medicines you take, since MedlinePlus notes certain medicines can affect results. Do not stop anything unless told to.

There Is No Single Normal PSA Number

MedlinePlus is unusually direct: there is no specific normal or abnormal level for PSA in blood. In general the higher the level, the more likely cancer is, but it is possible to have a high PSA without prostate cancer and a low PSA with it.

So a PSA result is not a pass or fail. It is one input your doctor reads alongside your age, symptoms, examination and history.

A High PSA Usually Is Not Cancer

MedlinePlus lists the causes of a high PSA level:

• Prostate cancer
• An enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH
• Prostatitis, meaning inflammation of the prostate gland
• Other common prostate problems
• Urinary tract infections
• Taking certain medicines

Enlarged prostate and prostatitis are common in older men, and a [urine test](/labs/tests/urine-test-price) is one of the checks MedlinePlus lists for investigating a raised PSA, precisely because a urinary infection can lift it.

MedlinePlus states plainly that a PSA test cannot show what is causing an abnormal level, so a high result means more tests rather than a diagnosis.

This Test Is a Decision, Not a Routine

We would rather say this than sell a test badly.

MedlinePlus explains that most prostate cancers grow very slowly, do not spread beyond the prostate and may never cause health problems, and that a man can live a long life with prostate cancer and never know he has it. The goal of screening is to catch the cancers more likely to spread.

It then sets out the possible harms honestly:

• A PSA test cannot distinguish cancer from non-cancerous causes, and a prostate biopsy is the only way to find out. Biopsies carry risks including bleeding, blood in semen or urine, infection and difficulty urinating
• Screening may lead to finding and treating a cancer that would never have affected your health
• Treatment itself can cause erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence and bowel incontinence

MedlinePlus says the decision should be made with your provider, weighing three things: your risk of developing a serious prostate cancer, your general health and whether you are well enough for treatment if cancer is found, and your own preferences about the benefits and harms.

Who Is at Higher Risk

MedlinePlus lists age, with risk increasing after 50; family history, where risk is higher if family members have had prostate cancer; and race, noting prostate cancer is more common in Black men, who also have higher risk of developing it younger and of more serious disease.

Symptoms That Prompt Testing

Separately from screening, MedlinePlus lists symptoms of a prostate condition that may lead to a PSA test: painful, slow or frequent urination, blood in urine or semen, pelvic or back pain, and urinary incontinence.

PSA is also used to monitor a known prostate condition, including during and after cancer treatment.

If Your PSA Comes Back High

MedlinePlus lists what usually follows: another PSA test, more commonly if you have no symptoms, since levels go up and down and a trend over time is more informative than one reading; a digital rectal examination; a urine test to check for infection; and a prostate biopsy if your provider thinks cancer is possible.

For men already being monitored for prostate cancer, MedlinePlus notes providers usually look at several results over time rather than one.

What Happens During the Test

A trained phlebotomist takes a small blood sample from a vein in your arm using a small needle. MedlinePlus notes it usually takes less than five minutes and a little sting is normal. In Lahore the sample can be collected at your home.

اردو میں

پی ایس اے ایک پروٹین ہے جو مردوں میں پروسٹیٹ غدود بناتا ہے۔ یہ ٹیسٹ خون میں اس کی مقدار معلوم کرتا ہے۔

سب سے اہم تیاری کی بات۔ ٹیسٹ سے چوبیس گھنٹے پہلے جنسی عمل سے پرہیز کریں، کیونکہ منی کے اخراج سے پی ایس اے کی مقدار بڑھ جاتی ہے اور رپورٹ غلط آ سکتی ہے۔ غلط بڑھی ہوئی رپورٹ کی وجہ سے غیر ضروری ٹیسٹ اور بائیوپسی تک کی نوبت آ سکتی ہے۔

دوسری اہم بات۔ پی ایس اے کی کوئی ایک مقررہ نارمل حد نہیں ہوتی۔ مقدار زیادہ ہونے کا مطلب ہمیشہ کینسر نہیں۔ پروسٹیٹ کا بڑھ جانا، سوزش، اور پیشاب کی نالی کا انفیکشن بھی اسے بڑھا دیتے ہیں۔

تیسری بات جو ایمانداری سے بتانا ضروری ہے۔ پروسٹیٹ کے زیادہ تر کینسر بہت سست رفتار ہوتے ہیں اور بعض اوقات زندگی بھر کوئی نقصان نہیں پہنچاتے۔ اسی لیے یہ ٹیسٹ کروانا یا نہ کروانا ایک فیصلہ ہے جو ڈاکٹر کے ساتھ مل کر کرنا چاہیے، خاص طور پر عمر، خاندانی تاریخ اور مجموعی صحت کو دیکھتے ہوئے۔ مرہم لیب میں اس ٹیسٹ کی قیمت تئیس سو دس روپے ہے۔

Final Thoughts

PSA is a useful test used thoughtfully and a harmful one used carelessly. Before booking, have the conversation MedlinePlus describes with a doctor who knows your age, family history and general health. If you do book it, abstain for 24 hours first so the number means something. And if it comes back high, remember that an enlarged prostate, prostatitis and a urine infection are all commoner explanations than cancer.