OVERVIEW:
What is the PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab test?
PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab test is a blood test that measures the level of prostate specific antigen in a man’s blood.
Why is the PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab test done?
PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab test is done in order to:
- Detect prostate cancer,
- Monitor the treatment of prostate cancer,
- Assess the recurrence of prostate cancer.
What does the PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab test measure?
PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab test measures the level of prostate specific antigen in a man’s blood. Prostate specific antigen is a chemical that is produced by cancerous and non-cancerous prostate tissues.
Are there any risks associated with this test?
There are no known risks associated with this test.
How should I prepare for this test?
This test does not require any special preparation.
Does aging increase the level of PSA?
The level of PSA increases with increasing age.
What is the normal PSA for a 70-year-old man?
For men aged 70 to 79, a normal serum PSA reference range is 0.0–6.5 ng/mL (0.0–6.5 μg/L).
Which medications affect the PSA level?
Dutasteride and finasteride falsely lower the PSA level by half of what they should be.
Normal level of PSA is less than 4 ng/mL.
Any value higher than 4 ng/mL and lower than 10 ng/mL is considered suspicious.
Any value higher than 10 ng/mL is considered dangerous.
PSA (prostate specific antigen) lab test is done in order to:
- Detect prostate cancer,
- Monitor the treatment of prostate cancer,
- Assess the recurrence of prostate cancer.
