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Guide to Your PSA Test

According to the American Cancer Society, one out of six men in America is diagnosed with prostate cancer. The PSA test is a key component of cancer detection and prevention. A PSA test tests your levels of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Your prostate glands produce this protein, which all men have in small quantities in their serum. Prostate cancer and/or other prostate disorders can cause a rise in this PSA level, which the test is designed to detect.

  1. When to Get Tested

    • According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Center, men need to be more aggressive and get tested as early as age 40. There is a higher risk in men from African descent or men with one or more family members who have previously been diagnosed. It is recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that doctors offer the PSA and DRE to patients annually in men 50 years and older, and those at higher risk (cancer.gov). The test can also be given at your request if you have symptoms such as problems urinating, and pelvic or back pain.

    The Test

    • A blood test is given to measure the PSA, and is considered most effective in early detection. The sample is then taken to a lab where PSA levels are analyzed. Although there are limitations to the test, the FDA has approved it to monitor patients with a history of cancer to see if the cancer has come back, and as a form of early detection for prostate cancer.

      A prostate cancer screening test consists of this PSA test along with a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) which can detect prostate cancer in men with no symptoms. The doctor will schedule an appointment for you to come in and he will perform the test himself, by taking your blood for the PSA test and performing the DRE. To perform the DRE, the doctor starts by having you lay on your side with you knee's up or having you stand up with your body bent at the waist. He then inserts his lubricated finger into the rectum and feels the prostate glands through the rectum wall for bumps or abnormal areas. During the exam you may have the urge to urinate and feel brief discomfort if prostate gland is swollen or inflamed. To prepare for the test you will need to give a sample prior to your DRE and several weeks after your your prostate biopsy.

    PSA Test Scores

    • Once the results of the PSA test are back, the doctors will analyze your PSA levels. A normal PSA level is any amount less than 4.0ng per ml or nanograms in each milliliter of blood. If your levels are between 4.0 and 10.0ng/ml then there is a 25% chance you may have cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that levels over 10.0ng/ml increase your risk to 67%. When patients levels indicate a higher risk for cancer, a biopsy (removal of prostate tissue with a needle guided by an ultrasound probe in the rectum) will be preformed (Mayo Clinic). Once there is a diagnosis, the doctors will suggest a course of treatment and then repeat the PSA test. If the levels are very low or undetectable in the blood, the treatment was successful.

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