What Your PSA Prostate Test Results Mean
The PSA Prostate Test has been back in the headlines with the news that former President Biden has advanced prostate cancer. And he’s certainly not alone in his battle against this disease. In 2024, nearly 10,500 Michigan men were diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Living with prostate cancer can be challenging if not detected early. In 2025, the number of cases is expected to rise, according to the American Cancer Society, to 314,000 from 299,000 in 2024 – a 5% increase.
Early detection starts, often, with a PSA prostate test. This is a blood screening that measures the amount of a cancer-detecting protein, called prostate-specific antigen, produced by your prostate cells.
But what is a “normal” PSA prostate test result, or PSA level? It depends on several factors, including the man. Read on to learn what a PSA prostate test tracks and what to expect.
Exploring the History of ‘Normal’ PSA Test Results
While a normal PSA baseline can vary from man to man, physicians historically followed the guideline that a PSA prostate test reading of more than 4 nanograms of antigen per 1 milliliter of blood could be abnormal.
However, that guideline assumes other behaviors or health events aren’t boosting the antigen level. A healthy reading for you might be high-risk for someone else.
What matters more than the isolated PSA test result is whether the number rises from one year to the next. If your PSA increases by even 0.75 in one year, it might be due to a growth in cancerous prostate cells. Here’s why.
PSA is a protein produced by all of the cells in your prostate, which would include cancer cells if present. Because the risk of prostate cancer increases with age, an earlier PSA prostate test is more likely to capture the amount of antigen made only by healthy prostate cells.
This first reading becomes your baseline, to which regular follow-up tests are compared.
Most men of average risk should talk to their doctors about a PSA screening by age 50. However, if you are African American or have an immediate family history of the disease, you are at higher risk and should talk to a doctor about getting your first PSA prostate test at 40 or 45.
How and Why the PSA Prostate Test Works
The PSA prostate test is a blood screening, often performed along with a physical prostate exam.
The blood sample, which can be taken at the doctor’s office, is sent to a lab technician who examines it under a microscope to measure how much PSA is circulating. The prostate exam is a quick test in which the physician inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feels for lumps or abnormalities in the prostate.
These tests screen for other prostate issues as well, including enlarged prostate (benign prostate hyperplasia or BPH). BPH, which is non-cancerous, can cause elevated PSA due to the growth of healthy tissue cells.
Overall, you have a 12% chance of developing prostate cancer at some point in your life, according to WebMD. However, the five-year survival rate is more than 99% in cases where the cancer is caught early and has not spread to other parts of the body.
What Causes PSA Prostate Test Results to Vary
For reasons such as BPH and other factors, your first PSA prostate test could read 4 and be determined normal, or it can be 7 and be normal – for you. Other factors that can boost your PSA level include:
- Ejaculation or strenuous exercise within two days of the PSA test.
- Prostate infection or inflammation.
- A prostate biopsy in the previous two months.
- Some medications, including those for BPH.
- Your overall health, such as weight and activity.
- Age, because PSA tends to increase as you grow older. (The average age of men first diagnosed with prostate cancer is 67, the American Cancer Society reports).
How to Get a More Accurate PSA Prostate Test
Whether you are getting your first PSA prostate test or a follow-up, you can ensure your results reflect normal prostate cell growth through the following precautions.
- Draw up a list of all medications you take regularly for your doctor.
- Avoid ejaculation for 48 hours. Semen carries PSA and can release it into the bloodstream.
- Skip heavy exercise – bicycling in particular – for a few days. This, too, can temporarily boost PSA levels.
- Do not get a PSA prostate test if you have a urinary tract infection; it can affect PSA levels. Ask to reschedule for a time after the infection clears.
What Happens After Your PSA Prostate Test
If your PSA prostate test results are normal, you can expect to come back in a year or two for a follow-up test that will measure against that reading.
Should your test reveal a risk of cancer, your physician may prescribe a detailed imaging of the prostate through an MRI or CT scan, as well as a needle biopsy to remove a small sample of prostate tissue for examination.
Based on the results of these tests, your urologist will offer several approaches to care. For cancer in its early stages (localized), your doctor might advise removing the tissue through robotic surgery, radiation therapy, or active surveillance.
In cases where the cancer has spread, your options include tissue removal (transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP), hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and/or chemotherapy.
Let’s Reduce Prostate Cancer Cases in 2025!
Now is an opportune time to schedule a PSA prostate test, because June is Men’s Health Month, an annual reminder to get all your preventive screenings. Together, we all can help reverse the growth in prostate cancer cases.
Awareness is essential for prevention. Download our free guide to prostate surgery and advanced recovery program. Or learn more about all of our prostate cancer treatment options here.
