What is a PSA test and when should I start having them done regularly?
A PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is a blood test that reveals a protein made exclusively by the prostate gland. An elevated PSA could be due to a prostate infection or prostate enlargement. Further testing would be needed to determine if cancer is present. The American Cancer Society recommends that all men over the age of 50 have an annual PSA. However, any man with a first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 60, should start annual screenings at the age of 45. Black males should start screening routinely at 45 years of age and should start having yearly checks if they have first-degree relative with prostate cancer at 40 years of age. An abnormal PSA test is simply a flag for the need for further diagnostic evaluations including a physical examination and possibly either additional blood testing or an ultrasound of the prostate gland.
