Which cancer type is primarily assessed using PSA levels?

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels are primarily used to assess prostate cancer. PSA is a protein produced by both normal and malignant cells of the prostate gland, and measuring its levels in the blood can provide significant information regarding the presence of prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels may indicate prostate cancer, although they can also be influenced by other factors like benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostatitis, emphasizing the need for further diagnostic evaluation when PSA levels are high.

In contrast, the other types of cancers listed—lung cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer—do not utilize PSA as a standard marker for assessment. Each of these cancers has its own specific markers and testing protocols. For instance, lung cancer is often assessed through imaging and biopsies, breast cancer may involve tests like mammograms and estrogen receptor status, and colorectal cancer typically involves colonoscopy and specific tumor markers such as CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen). This makes it clear that PSA is specifically tied to prostate cancer assessment.