Does a routine psa blood test also tell you your platelet count? i just want to know if the low platelet count also shows up on a psa blood test

The : The two tests are totally unrelated. Well, most of the time they are, but it gets a little complicated, as you'll see.... A psa (prostate-specific antigen) test measures the amount of a protein that only prostate cells make. When the cells in the prostate are dividing rapidly (like in cancer, ) when they are releasing this protein because they are inflamed (as one sees in an infection of the prostate, ) or if there are more prostate cells then typical (seen in enlarged, but not cancerous, prostates, ) this protein is elevated in the blood. This is why the psa is used as a screening tool for prostate cancer. But as you can see, the psa can be elevated in a variety of other, non-cancer, situations. This is the reason for the recent controversy over whether it makes sense to use the psa as a routine screening tool for men over 40. Platelets are small blood cells (not really cells - let's call them celletes) that are the key factor in blood clotting. Making blood clots takes a mind-boggling number of different chemicals, cells and coordination. It's truly one of the more spectacular things the human body can do. I'm sure that other people would cite calculus and synchronized swimming, but from a biochemical perspective, blood clotting (or hemostatsis) has them both beat handily. Platelets, are the foundation for blood clotting. Platelets can be elevated or decreased for a ton of different reasons. Infections typically make platelet counts go up, but they can make them drop as well, depending on the type of infection. Auto-immune disease typically makes platelet counts drop. Cancers are more like infections and can have either effect. An abnormally high or low platelet count is a very non-specific finding, and is seen in healthy people all the time, but sometimes it can be an indication of a more serious problem. I am curious as to why you are associating the two tests. Infections or cancers of the prostate could sometimes influence platelet counts, but the two tests are really not associated at all. If your doctor told you something about an abnormal psa or platelet count, and you don't understand it's significance, go back and don't leave until you understand what's going on. And if he or she can't answer your questions in language that you understand, find another doctor. It should not be your responsibility to ensure that you understand everything medical. That's a doctor's role. Not only to explain things, but ensure that things are understood. Otherwise, it's impossible for patients to make informed choices about and play an active role in their healthcare. If you have any concerns about either test, please be sure to follow-up with a doctor who can explain things fully. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask!