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Finding the right tests…
Hormonal
PSA is a protein made by the prostate gland, and this test measures the amount circulating in your blood. Doctors order it for two reasons: to look for early prostate cancer in a man with no symptoms, or to investigate symptoms like urinary trouble in someone who already has a prostate problem. Major guidance bodies don't recommend PSA testing for every man — they recommend a conversation with your doctor about your personal risk, usually starting around age 55, because a high result can come from an enlarged prostate or an infection just as easily as from cancer. There's no fixed cutoff separating normal from abnormal; your doctor reads your number against your age and history.
This test reports the amount of prostate-specific antigen in your blood, in nanograms per millilitre. Unlike many blood tests, there's no fixed line between a normal and abnormal PSA result — your doctor reads your number against your age, prostate size, and how your PSA has changed over previous tests, rather than a single cutoff. Recent ejaculation, a urinary infection, or a digital rectal exam shortly before the draw can all raise the result temporarily, so your doctor may ask about these first. A single blood sample from a vein in your arm is all that's needed.
PSA is a protein made by the prostate gland, and small amounts normally leak into the bloodstream. A raised level means more PSA is escaping into your blood than usual, which can happen for several reasons — prostate cancer is one, but so is benign prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged, non-cancerous prostate), prostatitis, a urinary infection, or even recent sexual activity.
Major guidance bodies, including the US Preventive Services Task Force, don't recommend PSA screening for every man. Instead, they recommend that men roughly 55 to 69 discuss the decision with their doctor, weighing the chance that screening catches a cancer worth treating against the real risk of a false alarm — a biopsy for a raised PSA that turns out not to be cancer, or treatment for a slow-growing cancer that would never have caused problems. For men 70 and older, the USPSTF recommends against routine screening, since the balance of benefit and harm shifts further.
A high PSA on its own doesn't diagnose anything. Your doctor will usually repeat the test, examine your prostate, check for infection, and decide from there whether a biopsy is the right next step — PSA is a starting point for that conversation, not an answer by itself.
There's no single normal or abnormal PSA level — MedlinePlus notes results are read in context rather than against a fixed cutoff. Your doctor looks at your number alongside your age, prostate size, and any previous results.
No. A high PSA can come from prostate cancer, but just as easily from an enlarged prostate, prostatitis, a urinary infection, or recent ejaculation. Further tests are needed to find the actual cause.
No. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends men aged 55 to 69 make this decision together with their doctor after discussing the benefits and harms, rather than testing everyone routinely, and recommends against screening for men 70 and older.
The main risks are a false alarm leading to an unnecessary biopsy, and finding and treating a slow-growing cancer that would never have caused symptoms, which can bring side effects like incontinence or erectile dysfunction without a real benefit. This is why the decision is meant to be discussed, not automatic.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
Yes. Ejaculation in the 24 hours before the test, a recent digital rectal exam, or a urinary tract infection can all temporarily raise PSA, so your doctor may ask about these beforehand.
Your doctor will usually repeat the test, check for infection, and examine your prostate before deciding whether a biopsy is needed. A high result starts a conversation about next steps rather than confirming a diagnosis.