Prostate Cancer Tests

Early detection of prostate cancer

Many prostate cancers will not actually progress sufficiently to cause harm in a man's lifetime. For this reason, prostate cancer detection is done on an individual basis, taking into account each man's risk factors. Men above the age of 60, or those with a strong family history, may choose to be screened by their general practitioner.

For more information, see Early Detection of Prostate Cancer.

Genetic typing of cancers

Individuals that inherit a genetic mutation from their parents are at a greater risk of certain types of cancers. Familial cancer syndromes are the group of cancers where patients inherit genes that do not function properly, increasing the risk of developing cancer.

For more information, see Genetic Typing of Cancers.

PSA testing

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) investigation

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a protein that is produced by the cells of the prostate gland and enters the bloodstream. A range of disorders involving the prostate cause its cells to produce more PSA. This raised amount of PSA can then be measured with a blood test.

For more information, see Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Testing.

Tool: PSA calculator

PSA Calculator
Enter your age and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) below to see your risk of prostate cancer. This test is not typically used by men under the age of 40 or by men 80 years of age or older.
Age
PSA

Interpretation:

Category A: Very low risk of prostate cancer. Further testing probably not required for at least 12 months. Continue with regular prostate cancer screening (PSA and Digital Rectal Exam) as discussed with your doctor.

Interpretation:

Category B: Elevated level of PSA for age range. Most common cause is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, however further investigation, such as prostate ultrasound and biopsy, may be required to exclude prostate cancer.

Interpretation:

Category C: Significantly elevated PSA. There are several conditions that may cause this elevation, so further investigation, such as prostate ultrasound and biopsy, are required to exclude prostate cancer.

Interpretation:

This test is not typically used for men below the age of 40 or for men 80 years of age or older.

References

Oesterling, JE, Jacobsen, SJ, Chute, CG, et al. Serum prostate-specific antigen in a community-based population of healthy men. Establishment of age-specific reference ranges. JAMA 1993; 270:860.
Polascik, TJ, Oesterling, JE, Partin, AW. Prostate specific antigen: a decade of discovery-what we have learned and where we are going. J Urol 1999; 162:293.
Carter, HB, Pearson, JD, Metter, EJ, et al. Longitudinal evaluation of prostate-specific antigen levels in men with and without prostate disease. JAMA 1992; 267:2215.
Dorr, VJ, Williamson, SK, Stephens, RL. An evaluation of prostate-specific antigen as a screening test for prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med 1993; 153:2529.

This tool needs Javascript enabled to run.Use the following table to find what risk category you are in for your specific PSA and age.

Age

PSA

0 - 39

40 - 49

50 - 59

60 - 69

70 - 79

80 +

10 +

N/A

6.6 - 10

4.6 - 6.5

3.6 - 4.5

2.6 - 3.5

2.5 and below

Interpretation
Category A: Very low risk of prostate cancer. Further testing probably not required for at least 12 months. Continue with regular prostate cancer screening (PSA and Digital Rectal Exam) as discussed with your doctor.
Category B: Elevated level of PSA for age range. Most common cause is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, however further investigation, such as prostate ultrasound and biopsy, may be required to exclude prostate cancer.
Category C: Significantly elevated PSA. There are several conditions that may cause this elevation, so further investigation, such as prostate ultrasound and biopsy, are required to exclude prostate cancer.

This information will be collected for educational purposes, however it will remain anonymous.

More information

For more information on prostate cancer, including diagnoses, types of treatments, and some useful tools, videos and animations, see Prostate Cancer.