Elevated PSA
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What is Elevated PSA?
Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland.
What is a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test?
The PSA test measures the level of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in a man's blood. For this test, a blood sample is taken and sent to a laboratory to be analyzed for levels of a protein produced by the prostate. The results are usually reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood.
If you have a PSA screening test and your resulting level is 4.0 ng/mL or above, your doctor may want you to have a repeat PSA test because PSA levels can fluctuate and may also be affected by various issues such as an enlarged prostate or urinary retention. If the PSA levels are elevated, it can indicate the presence of cancer. However, high PSA levels are not always an indication of cancer and may be caused by other factors or conditions such as prostatitis or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
For more information or to make an appointment with a UCLA Urology specialist, please call (310) 794-7700 today.