Which psa test to have

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The most common are bleeding and infections. Side effects of some treatments can include problems with erections, loss of fertility and incontinence. You should talk to your cancer specialist about the benefits and risks of any treatment before you begin. Page last reviewed: 18 October Next review due: 18 October Should I have a PSA test?

Many men with higher than normal PSA levels do not have cancer. Still, further testing will be needed to help find out what is going on. Your doctor may advise one of these options:. A raised PSA level may suggest you have a problem with your prostate, but not necessarily cancer. You may also be offered a PSA test if you have symptoms of a possible prostate problem. Some men are offered a PSA test as part of a general check-up. You should still think about the advantages and disadvantages and whether the test is right for you before agreeing to have one.

The amount rises as you get older because your prostate gets bigger. Prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate , prostatitis or prostate cancer , can cause your PSA level to rise — but lots of other things can affect your PSA level too, including the following. If you don't have any symptoms, your GP or practice nurse should talk to you about the advantages and disadvantages of the PSA test before you decide whether to have one.

You should tell them if anyone in your family has had prostate or breast cancer. Your GP or practice nurse will also talk to you about your general health and any other health problems. If you decide you want a PSA test, your GP may also suggest doing a digital rectal examination DRE — sometimes known as a physical prostate exam — and a urine test to rule out a urine infection.

A sample of your blood is taken and sent to a laboratory to be tested. You can eat and drink as normal before having a PSA test. You may see PSA tests being offered in places such as community centres or football stadiums.

Many men with a raised PSA level don't have prostate cancer. And some men with a normal PSA level do have prostate cancer. If your GP thinks your PSA level is higher than it should be for your own situation, they may arrange for you to see a specialist at the hospital.

But this is just a guide and slightly higher levels may be normal in older men. If your GP thinks you could have prostate cancer, you will usually see a specialist within two weeks. You may hear this called a 'two-week wait' or 'fast-track' referral. If your GP thinks something else has caused your PSA level to be raised, they might suggest having another PSA test in the future to see if your PSA level changes, rather than seeing a specialist straight away. After some men have had their first PSA test they might want to have regular tests every few years, particularly if they have an increased risk of prostate cancer.

This might be a good way to spot any changes in your PSA level that might suggest prostate cancer. But we need more research to show how often you might need a test. You could discuss this with your GP or practice nurse, or call our Specialist Nurses. Having a PSA test is a personal decision — what might be important to one man may be less important to another. Deciding whether or not to have a PSA test can be difficult.

Before you decide, try asking yourself the following questions, or discuss them with your GP or practice nurse. It might help to talk this over with your partner, family or friends. If you want to discuss the test, call our Specialist Nurses. They can help you understand your own risk of prostate cancer and talk you through the advantages and disadvantages of the PSA test. You may also find it helpful to fill out this information sheet.

It has space to write down any risk factors or symptoms you have and lists questions you might want to ask your GP. You could have the sheet in front of you when you talk to your GP, to help guide your conversation.

Remember, the tests give your GP the best idea about whether you have a problem that needs treating. If you then decide that you want a test, your GP should give you one. A PSA test isn't suitable for everyone. For example, your GP may not recommend it if your general health means you wouldn't be fit enough for treatment for prostate cancer, or if treatment wouldn't help you to live longer. It might help to print this webpage and take it to the appointment with you.

You could also print and show them our information for GPs. You can also get advice and support from Citizens Advice. They can help you understand your risk of prostate cancer so that you can decide what to do next. A baseline prostate specific antigen PSA test involves having a PSA test while your risk of getting prostate cancer is still low — for example in your 40s.

The aim of a baseline PSA test is not to help diagnose prostate cancer. Instead, some research suggests that it could be used to predict how likely you are to get prostate cancer in the future. If the test suggests you're at higher risk, you and your doctor may decide to do regular PSA tests to spot any changes that might suggest prostate cancer.

For more information about baseline testing, speak to your GP. They invite all suitable people to have a test to find out if they are at risk. In the UK there are screening programmes for breast, cervical and bowel cancer. Finding cancer early means it could be treated in time to get rid of it before it causes any problems.

Some studies have found that screening with the PSA test could mean fewer men die from prostate cancer. But it would also mean that:. While the PSA test on its own isn't suitable as a screening test for prostate cancer, researchers are working to find a test, or combination of tests, that might be suitable in the future.

Why you might have tests, and what to expect at your GP surgery and at the hospital. One in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer.