Ascendant Medical Laboratory

One in six men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime. While only one in 35 will die of the disease, prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States. To bring attention to this disease and ways to prevent it, September is recognized as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

“The earlier prostate cancer is detected the better,” said Stephanie Dolsen, administrative director of Ascendant Medical Laboratory. “If prostate cancer is detected early, physicians can provide treatment at a stage when the disease is easier to treat and increase overall survival rate for the patient.”

Although the specific cause of prostate cancer is unknown, several factors can increase a man’s risk of getting the disease, such as age, race, family history and diet. In its early stages, it usually has no symptoms and is detected through a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

Ascendant Medical Laboratory offers PSA tests to physicians and their patients. Results are available in less than 24 hours in most cases. PSA is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. Because PSA is produced by the body and can be used to detect disease, it is sometimes called a biological marker or tumor marker.

The American Cancer Society recommends annual screenings beginning at age 50 for men who have no major medical problems and can be expected to live at least 10 more years. Individuals who may be at high risk, including African-American men and those with close relatives who had prostate cancer before age 65 should be tested at age 45.

For more information about tests and services at Ascendant Medical Laboratory, contact client services at 800-615-0675.

Ascendant Medical Laboratory, a subsidiary of Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network, Inc. (MPLN), is licensed and accredited by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) and the state of Tennessee.

MPLN is a privately held molecular diagnostic laboratory founded in 1989 and headquartered in Maryville, Tenn. A leader in laboratory medicine, MPLN offers a comprehensive selection of molecular diagnostics and cytogenetic testing that targets oncology, obstetrics, gynecology, medical genetics, gastroenterology and infectious disease. The laboratory also has an active research and development and clinical trials program and has extensive expertise in chromosome analysis, flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), real-time and quantitative polymerase chain reaction technologies, immunohistochemistry and gene sequencing.

Comments are closed.