![]() ![]() Certain urologic procedures: Some procedures done in a doctor’s office that affect the prostate, such as a prostate biopsy or cystoscopy, can raise PSA levels for a short time.Riding a bicycle: Some studies have suggested that cycling may raise PSA levels for a short time (possibly because the seat puts pressure on the prostate), although not all studies have found this.This is why some doctors suggest that men abstain from ejaculation for a day or two before testing. Ejaculation: This can make the PSA go up for a short time.Prostatitis: This is an infection or inflammation of the prostate gland, which can raise PSA levels.Older age: PSA levels normally go up slowly as you get older, even if you have no prostate abnormality.An enlarged prostate: Conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate that affects many men as they grow older, can raise PSA levels.One reason it’s hard to use a set cutoff point with the PSA test when looking for prostate cancer is that a number of factors other than cancer can also affect PSA levels.įactors that might raise PSA levels include: If your PSA level is high, you might need further tests to look for prostate cancer (see ‘If screening test results aren’t normal’, below). If the PSA is more than 10, the chance of having prostate cancer is over 50%.Men with a PSA level between 4 and 10 (often called the “borderline range”) have about a 1 in 4 chance of having prostate cancer.About 15% of men with a PSA below 4 will have prostate cancer if a biopsy is done. Still, a level below 4 is not a guarantee that a man doesn’t have cancer. When prostate cancer develops, the PSA level often goes above 4. Most men without prostate cancer have PSA levels under 4 ng/mL of blood.Many doctors use a PSA cutoff point of 4 ng/mL or higher when deciding if a man might need further testing, while others might recommend it starting at a lower level, such as 2.5 or 3. The chance of having prostate cancer goes up as the PSA level goes up, but there is no set cutoff point that can tell for sure if a man does or doesn’t have prostate cancer. The PSA level in blood is measured in units called nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). PSA is mostly found in semen, but a small amount is also found in blood. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein made by cells in the prostate gland (both normal cells and cancer cells). ![]() Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test If the result of one of these tests is abnormal, you will probably need a prostate biopsy (discussed below) to know for sure if you have cancer. But these tests can’t tell for sure if you have cancer. The screening tests discussed here are used to look for possible signs of prostate cancer. Still, after discussing the pros and cons of screening with their doctors, some men might reasonably choose to be screened. It’s not clear, however, if the benefits of prostate cancer screening outweigh the risks for most men. Screening is testing to find cancer in people before they have symptoms. ![]()
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