Why Testosterone and PSA Matter

Testosterone is a hormone that can stimulate prostate cancer growth7

Growth and function of the prostate gland depend on testosterone, a male sex hormone (or androgen) made mainly in the testicles.

Prostate cancer develops when cells of the prostate show uncontrolled growth—high levels of testosterone may fuel this growth.

The goal of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is to lower the level of testosterone in the body2

What to know about prostate-specific antigen (PSA)

PSA is a protein produced by cells in the prostate gland. When PSA levels are high on blood tests, it can mean that cells in the prostate gland are abnormal.4

Because PSA levels are often elevated in men with prostate cancer, it is used to help diagnose it and track the effects of treatment. As part of treatment, you will likely have regular tests to check your PSA level.8*

 

WHILE NO PARTICULAR PSA LEVEL IS CONSIDERED “NORMAL” OR “ABNORMAL,” THE CLASSIFICATIONS BELOW ARE OFTEN USED4,6

Classifying chart showing a downward slope of columns: >20 ng/mL as elevated, >10 to 20 ng/mL as moderately elevated, >2.5 to 10 ng/mL as slighty-to-moderately elevated, and 0 to 2.5 ng/mL as low
FIRMAGON began reducing testosterone on day 1 by 88% and maintained PSA reduction over 12 months of treatment1,9

PSA is a measure that may indicate that your prostate cancer has gotten worse. These results, which show a reduction of PSA, should be interpreted carefully. There is no proof that how quickly PSA drops has clinical benefit. Therefore, PSA level should not be seen on its own as evidence of the effectiveness of FIRMAGON.1

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