The Birmingham Prostate Clinic is the first in the West Midlands to introduce the 10-minute PSA test, offering men a more rapid response to prostate cancer concerns.
Many thousands of men have PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) tests every year, as the standard way of screening for risk of prostate cancer, the most common form of male cancer.
A raised PSA result is not a diagnosis of prostate cancer but an indication that the patient may be at risk and require further investigations.
Patients typically wait days or weeks for their PSA results, while their test is sent to a laboratory and a second appointment is made to discuss the results with a urologist.
The Birmingham Prostate Clinic is the first in the West Midlands to introduce new technology which produces an accurate PSA result in just 10 minutes.
Called PSAwatch, it is a hand-held device into which blood samples are inserted. The device analyses the blood sample and displays the results on a screen 10 minutes later.
“The big benefit of this new development is it enables the patient to discuss his results with a consultant immediately,” explains Alan Doherty, Clinical Director of The Birmingham Prostate Clinic.
“Instead of sending patients home, often feeling very anxious about their results before returning to clinic days or weeks later, we can offer them an almost instant response.
“That may be to reassure them that they are not at risk of prostate cancer, or we may need to arrange for further tests to take place. In either scenario, we are able to eradicate that period of anxiously waiting.
“It means that men can have their PSA test and discuss the results with a urologist during a single visit to our clinic, which is far better for patients.”
The Birmingham Prostate Clinic provides services from BMI Priory Hospital in Edgbaston, Spire Parkway Hospital in Solihull and Spire Little Aston Hospital in Sutton Coldfield.
