Your Quick Guide to PSA Tests

The prostate produces a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA helps to make your semen more liquid. Some PSA leaks into your blood. How much will depend on:

• Your age – it raises slightly as you get older and your prostate grows
• The health of your prostate.

A PSA test is a simple blood test. This measures the amount of PSA in your blood. The test only takes a few minutes and can be done at your GP surgery.

• It can help you to find out if you are more likely to have prostate cancer
• Having a raised PSA does not necessarily mean you have prostate cancer.

If your PSA level is raised, you will need to have more tests at the hospital. This could include an MRI scan, biopsy of your prostate or both.

• If the test result is ‘normal’ you may feel reassured.
• It can help to pick up prostate cancer before you get any symptoms.
• It can help to pick up fast-growing prostate cancer at an early stage. This means you can have treatment that could stop your cancer from spreading or causing problems.

• It is not 100% accurate:
  • You may have a high PSA but not have prostate cancer
  • You may have a normal PSA but have prostate cancer.
• You may have a slow-growing prostate cancer that would never have caused any problems or shortened your life. This can cause unnecessary worry and stress.
• If your PSA is raised, you may need other tests such as, a prostate biopsy. This can cause pain, infection and bleeding.

You can ask for a free PSA test if you are a man or trans woman over 50 years old. This is part of the NHS informed choice programme. You are at higher risk of getting prostate cancer if:

• You are of Black ethnic origin
• You have a family history of prostate cancer (e.g., father or brother).

If you are at higher risk, you can talk to your doctor about getting a PSA test from the age of 45.