Understanding High PSA Levels: Causes & What They Mean

A PSA test screens for cancer of the prostate---a small gland located just under a man's bladder---which produces one component of semen. If your doctor says your PSA count is high, you might be worried about prostate cancer, but the American Cancer Society (ACS) says a high count does not automatically mean cancer.

Definition

• A PSA count is determined by a blood test for prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced only by the prostate gland.

Results

• Healthy men typically have a PSA count below 4 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Physicians consider anything above that to be a high PSA count.

Odds

• A PSA count between 4 and 10 ng/mL gives you a 25 percent chance of prostate cancer, according to the ACS. If your PSA count is above 10, you odds are above 50 percent. It is possible, however, to have a PSA count below 4 ng/mL and have prostate cancer.

Other explanations

• Other reasons for a high PSA count, reports the ACS, include age, prostate infection and benign prostatic hyperplasia---a swollen prostate.

Further Testing

• If your PSA count is high, you doctor will likely recommend a biopsy---the removal of small tissue samples to be examined in a lab.