Some information provided by The National Cancer Institute.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. The PSA is measured in the blood to detect possible abnormalities of the prostate gland. Because PSA is produced by the body and can be used to detect disease, it is sometimes called a biological marker or tumor marker.
PSA Levels
It is normal for men to have low levels of PSA in their blood; however, the level of PSA can elevate in either prostate cancer or in a benign (non-cancerous) condition. As men age the occurrences of benign prostate conditions and of prostate cancer become more likely. The most common benign prostate conditions are prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlargement of the prostate).
Elevated PSA levels should be evaluated in conjunction with a prostate examination conducted by a physician. Yearly screening is recommended for men over age 40. Men who are at a higher risk for prostate cancer should begin screening at an earlier age.
Elevated PSA level
If a man who has no symptoms of prostate cancer chooses to undergo prostate cancer screening and is found to have an elevated PSA level, the doctor may recommend another PSA test to confirm the original finding. If the PSA level is still high, the doctor may recommend that the man continues with PSA tests and DREs at regular intervals to watch for any changes over time.
There is no specific normal or abnormal level of PSA in the blood. In the past, most doctors considered PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower as normal. Therefore, if a man had a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL, doctors would often recommend a prostate biopsy to determine whether prostate cancer was present.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for prostate cancer include family history, race, and possibly diet. Men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer have a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. African-American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer, while Asian and Native American men have the lowest rates. In addition, there is some evidence that a diet higher in fat, especially animal fat, may increase the risk of prostate cancer.
Detecting prostate cancer early may not reduce the chance of dying from prostate cancer.
When used in screening, the PSA test can help detect small tumors that do not cause symptoms. Finding a small tumor, however, may not necessarily reduce a man’s chance of dying from prostate cancer. Some tumors found through PSA testing grow so slowly that they are unlikely to threaten a man’s life. Detecting tumors that are not life threatening is called “overdiagnosis,” and treating these tumors is called “overtreatment.”
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