PSA
PSA stands for prostate specific antigen; it is a protein that is made by cells from the prostate gland. The PSA test is a common blood test that is used to measure the health of the prostate. The PSA level in the blood can be elevated due to a number of factors, including inflammation of the prostate and a prostate growth, which can be either cancerous or benign.
The test can be used to screen for prostate abnormalities that are not causing any other symptoms. Although PSA is commonly used to screen men for prostate cancer, there are a number of benign (harmless) conditions that can lead to PSA levels being higher.
PSA and Prostatitis
Inflammation of the prostate (also known as prostatitis) can lead to elevated PSA levels because inflammation stimulates the cells of the prostate. This stimulation causes the prostate cells to secrete more PSA, which then shows up in the blood.
Other benign conditions that can cause an elevated PSA level include benign prostatic hyperplasia, in which the prostate grows rapidly but does not cause cancer, and urinary tract infections. In addition, as men get older, their PSA levels tend to go up. Men with large prostates may also have naturally elevated prostate specific antigen levels.
PSA Levels
As a general rule, levels of PSA in the blood are measured in nanograms per milliliter. PSA levels that are higher than four nanograms per milliliter are unusually high (although levels higher than two nanograms per milliliter in men under the age of fifty are also considered to be elevated). Elevated prostate specific antigen levels will usually cause your physician to recommend a biopsy. With a biopsy, a surgeon takes a small tissue sample of your prostate and then looks at it under a microscope to see if the cells are cancerous.
