PSA test (Prostate Specific Antigen)

The PSA test is a widely used and important assessment for risk of prostate cancer.

PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen), is a protein produced by both normal and cancerous cells in the prostate.

A high level of PSA can be a sign of cancer, but your PSA level can also be raised due to other prostate conditions other than cancer.  To check for PSA, your doctor takes a sample of your blood. PSA is usually measured in nanograms per millilitre of blood (ng/ml).

Understanding PSA test results

No PSA reading is considered 'normal'. The reading varies from man to man and the normal level increases as you get older.  But the following values are a rough guide:

• 3 ng/ml or less is considered to be in the normal range for a man under 60.
• 4 ng/ml or less is normal for a man aged 60 to 69.
• 5 ng/ml or less is normal if you are aged over 70.

A PSA test is not diagnostic – it is an indication of risk of prostate cancer. If your PSA results are on the borderline of the range for your age group, or slightly elevated, your doctor will consider your individual risk. Your PSA results are not the only measure of risk – your doctor will consider your family history and undertake a digital rectal examination (DRE) to assess your prostate.

At Harley Street Urology we use also use the relatively new PCA3 test to produce a more sensitive and individually-tailored assessment, enabling the urologist to judge whether a biopsy for prostate cancer is necessary.

What does the level of PSA indicate?

PSA is made by cells within the prostate and so PSA levels are higher in men who have big prostates and lower in men with small prostates.

A prostate cancer specialist is best placed to understand all the factors involved in your PSA test result and to use your result in combination with other assessments for prostate cancer, such as the PCA3 test, a digital rectal examination (DRE), your family history, ultrasound scans and your previous PSA test results.