Question: My PSA test levels over the last three years have been 2.5ng/mL or under. I just turned 46 and have been informed that there is nothing to worry about at these levels. Is that right? Is a reading under 4 still thought to be good enough?
For starters it’s good you’re getting the PSA test and getting some history in your medical file. Some never seem to get to this until it is way too late.
Typically it’s advisable to start PSA testing around age 40 – with annual screenings from then on. Beginning earlier you probably don’t have any issues with BPH that can affect the results. In other words BPH adds background noise that makes them harder to interpret.
Frankly given the state of prostate treatment today, some say it’s insane not to go in for annual screenings and exams. Still too many put it off or ignore the possibility of problems developing. Counting on symptoms to alert them the time is right to act. When an abnormal PSA test could signal the alarm much sooner and better.
And yes, when evaluating prostate-specific antigen (PSA) results in general lower is better.
And yes yet again you understand correctly that a PSA level of 4 or lower is a decent score. As long as you have regular rectal exams and they too are normal.
When it comes to the PSA test results you should also take into consideration your race and overall level of health. Plus your weight. Those all are additional risk factors that can’t be ignored.
While not a perfect metric, as some are quick to point out, the numbers generated provide a way to quantify potential cancer risk.
That’s not to say those naysayers aren’t right. They are. There are a few other conditions that can affect PSA numbers – prostate infection or inflammation being two that can cause the results to rise to what would be considered elevated levels. Just like any other test you can also get false positives from PSA testing too.
Even though only a biopsy can identify the presence of prostate cancer, the rectal exams and PSA blood tests – warts and all, saves lives.
Reason being if prostate cancer is caught before it has gone beyond the prostate gland itself, the five year survival rate is 100% per the American Cancer Society. That alone is a good enough reason to get your PSA scores annually, don’t you think?