Information About Prostate Cancer & Elevated PSA Levels

PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is an enzyme the cells of the prostate gland produce. Higher levels of PSA in the bloodstream can indicate infection, cancer, prostatitis or disease of the prostate gland and call for further investigation to determine a diagnosis.

Identification

• Normal PSA values generally are considered to be from 0 ng/ml to 4 ng/ml. Borderline levels of PSA are from 4 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml, and high values are anything over 10.

Considerations

• There can be variations in what is considered normal, based on the lab as well as on factors such as age and race.

Testing

• As a means of detecting prostate cancer in men over 50, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the PSA blood test along with a digital rectal exam. The test also has been approved for men with past prostate cancer to check for recurrence.

Results

• False positives and false negatives happen with the PSA blood test, so any abnormal results should be followed up with further testing and screenings.

Annual Testing

• Yearly PSA tests help measure prostate health. A man with a healthy prostrate will have unchanged readings, while someone with an enlarged prostate gland will show a slow rise in PSA levels. Prostate cancer can trigger a faster rise.