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High PSA Factors

Serum prostate-specific antigens (PSAs) are proteins produced by the prostate cells that are present in some quantities in the blood of all men, even those with healthy prostates. However, PSA levels are often higher than normal in those who have prostate cancer or are developing the disease. The measurement of PSAs is an accepted indicator of the probability of developing prostate cancers. Increased PSA levels are influenced by many factors including age, family history, genetics, diet and lifestyle choices.

  1. Testosterone Levels

    • A December 2010 study appearing in the "Korean Journal of Urology" investigated the role of serum testosterone levels for the predication of prostate cancer. The study analyzed more than 500 tissue biopsies from patients and found that those with low testosterone had a significantly higher frequency of prostate cancer. The authors noted that other factors such as advanced age and the volume of the prostate were also indicators of the disease. The study concluded that even though lower testosterone levels were associated with the disease, it was not necessarily correlated with an increased risk of metatastic prostate cancer.

    Race

    • Prostate cancer, as indicated by PSA values, is known to be more frequent in those of African descent than in other races. The March 2011 issue of "Urologic Oncology" described the pathological aspects of the disease in men from Ghana to determine a relationship of indicators and the frequency of prostate cancer. The authors analyzed 170 patients and found a strong correlation between age, a high-fat diet and low consumption of fruits and vegetables and increased PSA levels. The study concluded that race, as well as dietary choices, were significant factors in the progression and severity of the disease.

    Genetics

    • Genetic studies have indicated that irregularities in nucleotide sequences, the components of genes, can cause increased PSA levels, and hence, a greater probability of prostate cancer. A study appearing in the February 2011 issue of "PLoS One" sought to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in which a single nucleotide is replaced by another and can alter the risk of the disease. The researchers analyzed more than 10,000 prostate cancer tissue biopsies and compared them with approximately the same number of non-cancerous controls to determine the genetic variations associated with increased PSA levels. The study found that changes in the nucleotide sequence at a location of the chromosomes called KLK3 was associated with increased PSA levels. Interestingly, the authors also found that nucleotide variations associated with lower PSA levels were inversely related with low-grade tumors, but positively correlated with higher-grade tumors. In other words, the lower the PSA levels, the greater the chance of having a tumor that will not metastasize, or spread to other areas of the body.

    Metalloproteinases

    • In the April 2011 edition of the "Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology," researchers sought to establish an association between the occurrences of enzymes called metalloproteinases and the aggressiveness of prostate cancer as indicated by PSA levels. A metalloproteinase is an enzyme that cleaves, or severs, protein molecules in order to remove them from the body. They gain their name from the metal ions that are necessary for their function. The authors analyzed prostate tissue specimens from 133 patients and found a significant correlation between these enzymes and the frequency of aggressive forms of the disease.

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