What does it mean if prostate-specific antigen is high?

Elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels can be a sign of prostate cancer. It can also indicate noncancerous problems such as prostate enlargement and inflammation.

What should your prostate-specific antigen be?

Normal Results A normal PSA level is considered to be 4.0 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood, but this varies by age: For men in their 50s or younger, a PSA level should be below 2.5 in most cases. Older men often have slightly higher PSA levels than younger men.

How reliable is prostate-specific antigen PSA?

In fact, studies have shown that about 70% to 80% of men with an elevated PSA who have a biopsy do not have cancer. However, many men undergo an ultrasound and prostate biopsy, to be certain. Conversely, the PSA test doesn’t detect all cancers.

What is a normal PSA level for a 60 year old?

2.5-3.5: Normal for a man 50-60 yrs. 3.5-4.5: Normal for a man 60-70 yrs. 4.5-5.5: Normal for a man 70-80 yrs.

What is a bad PSA number?

The test measures the amount of a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the bloodstream. A PSA level above 4.0 nanograms per milliliter of blood has been used as the traditional cutoff to suggest the possibility of prostate cancer (though experts could easily have picked a 5.0 cutoff many years ago).

What is an unhealthy PSA level?

4.0 to 10.0 ng/mL is suspicious and might suggest the possibility of prostate cancer. It is associated with a 25% chance of having prostate cancer. 10.0 ng/mL and above is dangerous and should be discussed with your doctor immediately.

What is prostate-specific antigen (PSA)?

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a substance produced only by certain cells within the male prostate gland. Biochemically, it belongs to the protease family of kallikrein and is also known as human kallikrein 3 (hK3).

What is the prevalence of prostate cancer among men with prostate-specific antigen?

“Prevalence of prostate cancer among men with a prostate-specific antigen level < or =4.0 ng per milliliter”. The New England Journal of Medicine. 350 (22): 2239–46. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa031918.

Can proenzyme forms of prostate-specific antigen improve the detection of prostate cancer?

“Proenzyme forms of prostate-specific antigen in serum improve the detection of prostate cancer”. Clinical Chemistry. 50 (6): 1017–25. doi: 10.1373/clinchem.2003.026823. PMID 15054080. ^ Mikolajczyk SD, Marks LS, Partin AW, Rittenhouse HG (2002).

When was the PSA test approved by the FDA?

In 1994, the FDA approved the use of the PSA test in conjunction with a digital rectal exam (DRE) to test asymptomatic men for prostate cancer. Men who report prostate symptoms often undergo PSA testing (along with a DRE) to help doctors determine the nature of the problem.