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Reason for Elevated PSA Levels

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is an enzyme made by the prostate gland. Several conditions are indicated by a higher-than-average PSA blood test, which measures the amount of PSA in your blood.
  1. Function

    • The PSA test is used to detect prostate cancer, uncontrolled cancerous cell growth in the prostate, a gland that secretes sperm. If a man has an elevated PSA test, he may have cancer.

    Significance

    • An estimated 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.

    Reasons

    • An elevated PSA level isn't always cancer. It has been linked to benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), which is an inflammation of the prostate that increases PSA levels in the blood and causes symptoms such as the need to urinate frequently or an intense need to urinate.

    Normal Levels

    • According to UPMC Cancer Centers, normal levels of PSA range from 0 nanograms per milliliter (n/ml) to 4 ng/ml. Levels between 4 and 10 n/ml are considered to be borderline-high, and levels higher than 10 are considered to be high.

    Considerations

    • In addition to problems affecting the prostate, there are temporary conditions that can cause elevated PSA levels, such as recent ejaculation or riding a bicycle.

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