How many psa tests per year

Talk to your general practitioner or urologist about receiving a PSA test in their office. If you do not have insurance or if your insurance does not cover the PSA screening, consult our national free testing map or look into our free testing partners. In general, a PSA level that is above 4.

However, there are many other factors to consider before taking further action. The following are some general PSA level guidelines:. However, PSA levels can easily rise with greater age. You and your physician should consult age-specific normal PSA ranges.

You and your doctor can explore several options if your PSA is high. One option is to have a second PSA screening; recent research has shown that a second screening can improve the accuracy of an abnormal result 1. A digital rectal exam DRE and a biopsy can also confirm the presence or absence of prostate cancer. However, there are several other reasons why a PSA result might be high:. In general, a low PSA is a good result.

However, there are several reasons a PSA screening level may be artificially low including taking statins to lower cholesterol, anti-inflammatory drugs and obesity body fat decreases the amount of PSA circulating in the blood stream. Be sure to discuss these with your doctor. This is one measure of prostate cancer risk, since PSA levels can rise rapidly in men who have prostate cancer.

This can be especially useful to find prostate cancer in early stages before the cancer has left the capsule of the prostate. Research shows that an increase of. Research is also showing PSA velocity may be able to predict survivability from prostate cancer as men with a PSA increase of. The Prostate Health Index was recently approved for the detection of prostate cancer. The PHI is a simple blood test that combines three tests in one.

Research has shown that the test is better at detecting prostate cancer than the traditional PSA screening. Because this test is very new, it is possible your physician has not heard of it yet.

If you are interested in the test, talk with your doctor and discuss your risk, the test, and how to use the information from the test. While none of these tests are conclusive on their own, when performed in addition to a PSA test, DRE Digital Rectal Exam , and a biopsy, they can provide each patient with more information about their specific cancer and can aid in both the diagnosis and decision on treatment.

Read more on this and further additional testing. Learn: Webinars and Videos. Your doctor might use other ways of interpreting PSA results before deciding whether to order a biopsy to test for cancerous tissue.

These other methods are intended to improve the accuracy of the PSA test as a screening tool. Researchers continue to investigate variations of the PSA test to determine whether they provide a measurable benefit.

Before getting a PSA test, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks. If you decide that a PSA test is right for you, ask your doctor:. Discussing these issues beforehand may make it easier for you to learn the results of your test and make appropriate decisions afterward.

Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Prostate gland Open pop-up dialog box Close.

Prostate gland The prostate gland is located just below the bladder in men and surrounds the top portion of the tube that drains urine from the bladder urethra. More Information Prostate cancer screening Prostate cancer. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Hoffman RM. Screening for prostate cancer. Accessed March 14, PSA screening adult. Mayo Clinic; Prostate-specific antigen PSA test. National Cancer Institute. Ferri FF.

Prostate cancer. Depending on the results of your first PSA test, your doctor may recommend you get screened less or more frequently. Doctors will consider your age and the size of your prostate when determining what your PSA score means.

In general:. If your levels are still high, your doctor might recommend one of the newer prostate cancer screening tests available today. These tests can help better assess your risk for prostate cancer and determine whether a biopsy is necessary. Only a prostate biopsy can definitively diagnose prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Screening Ages 40 to 54 The PSA test is a blood test that measures how much of a particular protein called prostate-specific antigen is in your blood. While the general guidelines recommend starting at age 55, you may need PSA screening between the ages of 40 and 54 if you: Have at least one first-degree relative such as your father or brother who has had prostate cancer Have at least two extended family members who have had prostate cancer Are African-American, an ethnicity that has a higher risk of developing more aggressive cancers Prostate Cancer Screening Ages 55 to 69 This is the age range where men will benefit the most from screening.

The median PSA for this age range is 0.