Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is one of the proteins that the prostate gland makes. Cancerous cells of the prostate also create these proteins. The purpose of the PSA test is to identify that the prostate gland is stressed and may have significant disease.
High PSA levels are not necessarily correlated with cancer. They may mean that there is a urinary tract infection or the prostate is simply inflamed. According to the National Cancer Institute, “there is no clear consensus regarding the optimal PSA threshold for recommending a prostate biopsy for men in any racial or ethnic group.”
What is a normal PSA test result?
There is no specific normal or abnormal level of PSA in the blood, and levels may vary over time in the same man. In the past, most doctors considered PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower as normal. Therefore, if a man had a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL, doctors would often recommend a prostate biopsy to determine whether prostate cancer was present.
However, more recent studies have shown that some men with PSA levels below 4.0 ng/mL have prostate cancer and that many men with higher levels do not have prostate cancer.
In addition, various factors can cause a man’s PSA level to fluctuate. For example, a man’s PSA level often rises if he has prostatitis or a urinary tract infection. Prostate biopsies and prostate surgery also increase PSA level. Conversely, some drugs—including finasteride and dutasteride, which are used to treat BPH—lower a man’s PSA level. PSA level may also vary somewhat across testing laboratories.
Another complicating factor is that studies to establish the normal range of PSA levels have been conducted primarily in populations of white men. Although expert opinions vary, there is no clear consensus regarding the optimal PSA threshold for recommending a prostate biopsy for men of any racial or ethnic group.
In general, however, the higher a man’s PSA level, the more likely it is that he has prostate cancer. Moreover, a continuous rise in a man’s PSA level over time may also be a sign of prostate cancer.
Sources:
Keeping track of your medical data and laboratory results while understanding what they mean empowers positive health outcomes.
Keeping track of your medical data and lab results while understanding what they mean empowers positive health outcomes.
Save 10% off any plan with promo-code:
HEALTH10
Elevated Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) levels can be an indicator of prostate issues, including prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or prostatitis. PSA is a protein produced by both normal and malignant cells of the prostate gland, and its levels are measured through a simple blood test.
The diagnosis of prostate conditions, especially prostate cancer, often begins with the detection of elevated PSA levels. However, it's crucial to understand that elevated PSA does not definitively indicate cancer. Many factors, such as age, race, and prostate size, can influence PSA levels. Additionally, certain activities, including sexual activity or a recent prostate examination, might temporarily raise PSA levels.
Symptoms that might prompt a PSA test include difficulty in urinating, frequent urination, painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation, blood in urine or semen, and chronic pain in the lower back, hips, or thighs. However, these symptoms can also be related to non-cancerous conditions.
If a PSA test is elevated, doctors might recommend further testing to determine the cause. This can include a repeat PSA test, digital rectal exams (DRE), prostate biopsies, or imaging tests like MRI or a CT scan.
Treatment options vary depending on the underlying cause of the elevated PSA. For prostate cancer, options may include active surveillance (monitoring), surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these. In cases of BPH, treatment might involve medication, lifestyle changes, or minimally invasive therapies. Prostatitis, which is often caused by a bacterial infection, might be treated with antibiotics.
It's essential for individuals with elevated PSA levels to have detailed discussions with their healthcare providers. The choice of treatment should be based on individual risk factors, the severity of symptoms, the stage of the disease, and overall health. Additionally, the potential benefits and risks of each treatment option should be carefully considered.
For the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, consulting with a healthcare professional who specializes in urology or oncology is recommended. They can provide personalized advice based on the individual's specific health situation.
Here are a few videos on prostate cancer and diet:
- Changing a Man’s Diet After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
- Best Supplements for Prostate Cancer
- Treating Advanced Prostate Cancer with Diet: Part 1
- Treating Advanced Prostate Cancer with Diet: Part 2
- Treating Prostate Cancer with Green Tea
Some clinical trials and studies have suggested that lycopene might decrease PSA levels.
Lycopene is a naturally occurring chemical that gives fruits and vegetables their red color. It is a type of carotenoid, which are pigments produced by plants, algae, and several bacteria and fungi. Lycopene is found in high concentrations in tomatoes, but it is also present in other red fruits and vegetables such as watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots, and pink guavas.
In the human body, lycopene acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures. The damage caused by free radicals has been linked to various chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
Sign up
Sign up now and create your account. Use code HEALTH10 for a 10% discount on any plan. Don't miss out!
Organize
Bring all results from any laboratories to your account. You can enter your tests yourself, or we'll be happy to organize your files—whether in PDF, JPEG, CSV, or even screenshots.
Learn and improve
Once your information is stored in your account, dive into a wealth of insights about your results. If you have any more questions, we are here to answer them.
Low levels of PSA are not a health problem.
Guiding our user for 10 years to promptly understand, track, and act on their laboratory results.
$15/month
for personal lab results
Cancel your subscription at any time.
$250/once
full premium version
$45/month
track your clients’ labs
Cancel your subscription at any time.
Guiding our user for 10 years to promptly understand, track, and act on their laboratory results.
Personal plans
track personal results
Professional Plan
track multiple client's results
$15/month
for personal lab results
$250/once
own it for life
$45/month
for health professionals
Complete Plan
Unlimited Plan
$15 per month
$250 full version
Are you a health professional?
Level up your lab report analysis with our Pro plan, built for health practitioners like you.
Health Business Account
$45/month
Cancel your subscription at any time.
Unlock additional Pro plans when you sign up.
Unlock Your Health Journey with Healthmatters.io! Ever wished for a one-stop digital health haven for all your lab tests? Look no further! Healthmatters.io is your personalized health dashboard, bringing together test reports from any lab. Say goodbye to scattered results—organize and centralize your lab data effortlessly. Dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data.
Join the community of thousands who've transformed the way they understand their lab results. Experience the joy of having all your lab data neatly organized, regardless of where or when the tests were done.
For our professional users, Healthmatters.io is a game-changer. Revel in the intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history. It's not just a dashboard; it's your gateway to a smarter, more informed health journey!
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we do talk about popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too. It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters. We can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
Still on the hunt for a specific biomarker? Just tell us, and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account!
There are two ways to add your test reports to your healthmatters.io account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you. We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.
Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.
Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.
For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.
Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.
Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.
The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.
For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.
Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.
You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Unlocking the insights from your lab tests has never been this intuitive! We've crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into a treasure trove of testing data.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
2. All Tests ViewGet a quick grasp of your test reports in minutes! Explore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.
3. Table View:For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.
Experience the power of clear, organized data visualization with Healthmatters.io — your key to understanding and taking charge of your health journey!
Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.
Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional or business account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP), CA 125, CA 15-3, CA 19-9, CA 27.29, Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), CD19, Chromogranin A (CgA), CYFRA 21-1 (Cytokeratin 19 Fragment), Leukemia/Lymphoma/Myeloma Panel by Flow Cytometry, Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP 9), MMP-9 (Matrix Metalloproteinase-9), PapIG, HPV, rfx 16/18, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), PSA, % Free
