Guide to the PSA Prostate Test: What Your Results Mean
Can a PSA prostate test be a life saver? Think of it this way: Men in Florida have a better chance of developing prostate cancer during their lifetime than getting into a boating accident – 12% vs. 10%.
A PSA, which stands for Prostate Specific Antigen, is a protein that is made specifically by the prostate. Its function is to liquify semen in order to help sperm get where they need to get. It leaks into the bloodstream and that is why we can detect it by a blood draw. A PSA prostate test can ensure you outlive the cancer. So yes, it can be a life saver – think of it as boat maintenance for the body.
The higher the level of PSA, the more likely the risk of cancer. Traditionally, physicians have considered a normal PSA level to be less than 4 nanograms of antigen per a milliliter of blood.
However, what counts as a “normal” PSA test result for you can be higher or lower than 4, depending on your activities and other non-cancerous conditions that can affect the numbers. What is more important is how fast the level rises year to year. s
Which is why you should consider scheduling your yearly PSA prostate test now, in June. It’s Men’s Health Month, a good annual reminder to schedule all your wellness screenings for regular body maintenance.
Putting a ‘Normal’ PSA Test Result into Context
From 2024 to 2025, the number of U.S. prostate cancer cases is expected to climb by 5%, from 299,000 to 314,000, the American Cancer Society predicts. In 2024, an estimated 24,090 of those cases were diagnosed in Florida.
Many of these cancers were caught through PSA prostate tests, which remains one of the best methods for detecting prostate cancer before it spreads. PSA is a protein made from all of your prostate tissue cells, so any cell growth – benign or cancerous – will contribute to more PSA.
Because the risk of prostate cancer increases with age, the earlier your PSA prostate test, the more likely it will reflect the amount of antigen made only by non-cancerous cells. When caught in the early stages, the five-year survival rate of prostate cancer is more than 99%.
When is early? If you are at average risk of developing prostate cancer and approaching age 50, then ask your doctor about scheduling a screening. Men who are at high risk of prostate cancer, which includes African Americans and men whose fathers or brothers have had the disease, should consider getting their first PSA test earlier. Even as early as age 40.
This first PSA prostate test serves as your PSA baseline, to which future screening is compared.
How the PSA Test Diagnoses Cancer
The PSA test is a blood screening that examines the amount of antigens circulating in a sample – your PSA level. The test is usually performed along with a prostate exam, in which the doctor slides a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to physically feel the prostate.
Your doctor relies on the PSA test to diagnose other prostate issues as well, including an enlarged prostate, or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is a non-cancerous condition in which prostate tissue grows, producing more cells that make more PSA. .
Therefore, your PSA may be “normally” higher than 4 in conditions such as BPH which is more likely to develop as you age. As such, PSA can also be normally higher in older men.
These other factors and activities also can increase your PSA level:
- Sexual activity. Semen can release additional PSA into the bloodstream, so avoid ejaculation for 48 hours before your PSA prostate test.
- Vigorous exercise, especially biking. Skip the heavy workouts for a couple of days.
- Prostate inflammation and infections, including urinary tract infections.
- A prostate biopsy that was taken within the previous two months.
- A recent prostate examination
- Certain medications, including those for BPH. Bring a list of all medications to your doctor.
- Your overall health, such as weight and activity.
- Lastly, because PSA levels increase with age, yours will likely get higher in your 60s and after.
What to Expect from Your PSA Prostate Test Results
The average age of men first diagnosed with prostate cancer is 67, according to the American Cancer Society. If your PSA test indicates a cancer risk, your physician may recommend follow-up tests, including an MRI to capture detailed images of the prostate and a biopsy to examine a small sample of your prostate tissue.
Should these tests reveal cancer cells, a pathologist will determine how fast they are growing. Further testing is often necessary to address whether the cancer is localized (early stages) or has spread to other parts of the body. Based on these results, you and your care team can determine an approach to treatment.
In cases where the cancer is limited to the prostate, treatment options may include:
- Tissue removal through a surgery
- Tissue ablation (Cryotherapy, Ultrasound or electroporation)
- Radiation therapy
- Active surveillance
In cases where the cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland, your approaches to care may include:
- Hormone therapy that blocks cancer-feeding testosterone
- Immunotherapy (stimulating your body’s immune system to kill cancer cells)
- Chemotherapy (when cancer does not respond to other treatments)
- A combination of the above
Do Your Annual Maintenance: Get a PSA Prostate Test!
You can help reverse the growth in prostate cancer cases in Florida and the U.S. If you’re of age and have not gotten a PSA prostate test, or it’s been more than a year since your last one, consult your doctor and get it! It is cheap, easy to do, and with very little risk. The earlier prostate cancer is caught, the less likely it will rock the boat of your long-term quality of life.
Visit our web sites to learn more about how we diagnose and treat prostate cancer and what to expect from advanced prostate cancer. You can request an appointment with one of Advanced Urology Institute’s locations here.