Prostate cancer is the second most deadly cancer for men and PSA testing is a complex issue.
PSA levels will vary between men and with age, so it can be difficult to determine exactly what a ‘normal’ level is.
PSA levels are not sensitive or specific enough to be used as a good screening test for prostate cancer. This essentially means that all men with high PSA levels do not have prostate cancer, and men with low PSA levels could still have prostate cancer.
However, in general, the higher the PSA level, the more likely it is that there is cancer in the prostate. If the PSA is more than 10 the chance of having prostate cancer is over 50%.
PSA does not differentiate between slow-growing cancers which do not always require invasive treatment and rapidly invasive cancers that need to be treated more aggressively.
Measurement of serial PSA levels as a monitoring rather than a diagnostic test may be useful to identify any changes that require medical attention, especially if you have risk factors for prostate cancer.
If you have concerns about getting this test or would like more information, please speak to one of our GPs.