A raised PSA: what it does and does not mean

A raised PSA is common, and most of the time it is not cancer. A single high reading can still be alarming, out of proportion to what it usually means.

Plenty of ordinary things lift PSA. The prostate enlarges with age, which raises it. An infection or inflammation of the prostate raises it, sometimes a lot. So can a urinary infection, recent vigorous cycling, ejaculation in the day or two before the test, and even a recent examination. Age alone shifts the normal range upward.

So one raised result is a reason to look again, not a diagnosis. Often the next step is to repeat the test under cleaner conditions, with the context taken into account. If it stays up, an MRI of the prostate is the step that sorts a likely-benign rise from one worth investigating.

If it does turn out to be cancer, that is still not one single story. Many prostate cancers grow slowly enough that they never cause harm, and finding one does not always mean treating it; careful monitoring is a legitimate and common path. The aim of the modern pathway is to find the cancers that matter and leave the rest alone.

With us, a raised PSA means we put your number in context, repeat it if that is the sensible move, arrange an MRI if it is warranted, and talk you through what each result means and what your options are at each step.

Ready to start? Choose the check that fits your question and tell us a little about yourself. A doctor reviews it, arranges what you need, and explains what it means. Most of it is done online, with the clinic there if you would rather be seen.