How Do You Interpret A PSA (Prostate) Blood Test?
A man’s prostate gland assists with sperm activity and sexual pleasure. As men age, the prostate can become enlarged and cause various problems such as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). In addition to men over age 40 (or younger depending on sexual activity and family history) getting an annual digital rectal exam in which the clinician can actually feel the size and shape of the prostate, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test should also be done. The PSA test can be somewhat confusing for patients to understand–so this article is going to help assist you with reading your PSA results along with your clinician. Get your PSA blood work done BEFORE your DRE. Some studies have indicated that the PSA can be falsely elevated post-DRE if the prostate is pressed and some “additional” antigen can be expressed in the blood resulting in a falsely high reading. You should understand the causes of elevated PSA other than prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. One of the most common c
