Articles
Prostate cancer screening: Should you get a PSA test?
Simple test, not-so-simple decision
When elevated PSA isn't cancer
When prostate cancer doesn't increase PSA
Digital rectal examination
Think about your risk factors for prostate cancer
Consider the varying viewpoints: What are the recommendations?
How does it add up?
Content
What is PSA?
What increases the risk of prostate cancer?
What are the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening?
What's the advantage of a PSA test?
What's risky about a PSA test?
What do experts recommend?
When elevated PSA isn't cancer
While high PSA levels can be a sign of prostate cancer, a number of conditions other than prostate cancer can cause PSA levels to rise. These other conditions could cause what's known as a "false-positive" — meaning a result that falsely indicates you might have prostate cancer when you don't.
Conditions that could lead to an elevated PSA level in men who don't have prostate cancer include:
- Benign prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia)
- A prostate infection (prostatitis)
- Other less common conditions
False-positives are common. Only about 1 in 4 men with an abnormal PSA test result turns out to have prostate cancer.
