If you need to know which are the PSA reference ranges or you require more information about PSA in a blood test, you can visit normal PSA in a blood test.
PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is a protein produced by the prostate and may be high in the blood when there is a prostate disorder.
The PSA may be present in the blood bound to other proteins (conjugated PSA) or unbound to other proteins (Free PSA). Total PSA is the sum of both.
The two main causes for an elevation of PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) in the blood are:
For that reason, it is interesting to know the ratio Free PSA / Total PSA. The free PSA tends to be lower in men with prostate cancer than in those with benign disease, so an elevated PSA with a low amount of free PSA is more likely to signify a malignancy than an elevated PSA with a high free PSA.
In other words, if the rate Free PSA / Total PSA is over 0.20 is a sign of benign prostatic hyperplasia. On the contrary, if the rate is below 0.20 is a sign of prostate cancer.
Another sign for the diagnosis of a prostate cancer is an increase of more than 0.75 ng/ml from one year to another.
A high PSA level in the blood may be also present in case of infection (prostatitis) or prostate trauma.
When there is a mild PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) increase is necessary a visit to your doctor.
A mild PSA increase is in the “gray zone” and a prostate biopsy is recommended to know if it is due to a prostate cancer. Only 25% of men after the biopsy will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and the rest is probably that may be suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia. Of the people who actually suffer from prostate cancer with a mild PSA increase, in more than 75% of the cases the cancer is confined and is potentially curable.
Another way that may help in the diagnosis is to study the rate between free PSA and total PSA (Free PSA / Total PSA).
Another sign for the diagnosis of a prostate cancer is an increase of more than 0.75 ng/ml of PSA from one year to another.
A moderate PSA increase is a matter for concern because the probability to suffer from prostate cancer is high (over 65%).
You must visit your doctor and he will decide the following steps. For example, a prostate biopsy is usually recommended for a proper diagnosis and in order to prescribe you the best treatment.
A severe PSA increase is usually a sign of prostate cancer.
You must contact your doctor to know the different treatments available. It is probable that you need a prostatectomy (a surgical procedure for the removal of the prostate).
There are some health circumstances or drugs than can raise the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) in a blood test:
The most common diseases why the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) can be higher than normal are:
If PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) level is high in the blood due to a bacterial prostatitis, antibiotics may help to solve the infection and decrease the PSA level.
In case that the PSA increase is due to a prostate cancer, your doctor will explain you the different alternatives that may include a prostatectomy. After the removal of the prostate, the PSA level should be below 0.5 ng/ml.
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The following values are considered to be above the normal range:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in ng/ml. They are an example of a healthy man/woman of about 55 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
PSA | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild PSA increase | |||||||
| 3.6 ng/ml | 3.7 ng/ml | 3.8 ng/ml | 3.9 ng/ml | 4 ng/ml | 4.1 ng/ml | 4.2 ng/ml | 4.3 ng/ml |
| 4.4 ng/ml | 4.5 ng/ml | 4.6 ng/ml | 4.7 ng/ml | 4.8 ng/ml | 4.9 ng/ml | 5 ng/ml | 5.1 ng/ml |
| 5.2 ng/ml | 5.3 ng/ml | 5.4 ng/ml | 5.5 ng/ml | 5.6 ng/ml | 5.7 ng/ml | 5.8 ng/ml | 5.9 ng/ml |
| 6 ng/ml | 6.1 ng/ml | 6.2 ng/ml | 6.3 ng/ml | 6.4 ng/ml | 6.5 ng/ml | 6.6 ng/ml | 6.7 ng/ml |
| 6.8 ng/ml | 6.9 ng/ml | 7 ng/ml | 7.1 ng/ml | 7.2 ng/ml | 7.3 ng/ml | 7.4 ng/ml | 7.5 ng/ml |
| 7.6 ng/ml | 7.7 ng/ml | 7.8 ng/ml | 7.9 ng/ml | 8 ng/ml | 8.1 ng/ml | 8.2 ng/ml | 8.3 ng/ml |
| 8.4 ng/ml | 8.5 ng/ml | 8.6 ng/ml | 8.7 ng/ml | 8.8 ng/ml | 8.9 ng/ml | 9 ng/ml | 9.1 ng/ml |
| 9.2 ng/ml | 9.3 ng/ml | 9.4 ng/ml | 9.5 ng/ml | 9.6 ng/ml | 9.7 ng/ml | 9.8 ng/ml | 9.9 ng/ml |
| 10 ng/ml | |||||||
| Moderate PSA increase | |||||||
| 10.1 ng/ml | 10.2 ng/ml | 10.3 ng/ml | 10.4 ng/ml | 10.5 ng/ml | 10.6 ng/ml | 10.7 ng/ml | 10.8 ng/ml |
| 10.9 ng/ml | 11 ng/ml | 11.1 ng/ml | 11.2 ng/ml | 11.3 ng/ml | 11.4 ng/ml | 11.5 ng/ml | 11.6 ng/ml |
| 11.7 ng/ml | 11.8 ng/ml | 11.9 ng/ml | 12 ng/ml | 12.1 ng/ml | 12.2 ng/ml | 12.3 ng/ml | 12.4 ng/ml |
| 12.5 ng/ml | 12.6 ng/ml | 12.7 ng/ml | 12.8 ng/ml | 12.9 ng/ml | 13 ng/ml | 13.1 ng/ml | 13.2 ng/ml |
| 13.3 ng/ml | 13.4 ng/ml | 13.5 ng/ml | 13.6 ng/ml | 13.7 ng/ml | 13.8 ng/ml | 13.9 ng/ml | 14 ng/ml |
| 14.1 ng/ml | 14.2 ng/ml | 14.3 ng/ml | 14.4 ng/ml | 14.5 ng/ml | 14.6 ng/ml | 14.7 ng/ml | 14.8 ng/ml |
| 14.9 ng/ml | 15 ng/ml | 15.1 ng/ml | 15.2 ng/ml | 15.3 ng/ml | 15.4 ng/ml | 15.5 ng/ml | 15.6 ng/ml |
| 15.7 ng/ml | 15.8 ng/ml | 15.9 ng/ml | 16 ng/ml | 16.1 ng/ml | 16.2 ng/ml | 16.3 ng/ml | 16.4 ng/ml |
| 16.5 ng/ml | 16.6 ng/ml | 16.7 ng/ml | 16.8 ng/ml | 16.9 ng/ml | 17 ng/ml | 17.1 ng/ml | 17.2 ng/ml |
| 17.3 ng/ml | 17.4 ng/ml | 17.5 ng/ml | 17.6 ng/ml | 17.7 ng/ml | 17.8 ng/ml | 17.9 ng/ml | 18 ng/ml |
| 18.1 ng/ml | 18.2 ng/ml | 18.3 ng/ml | 18.4 ng/ml | 18.5 ng/ml | 18.6 ng/ml | 18.7 ng/ml | 18.8 ng/ml |
| 18.9 ng/ml | 19 ng/ml | 19.1 ng/ml | 19.2 ng/ml | 19.3 ng/ml | 19.4 ng/ml | 19.5 ng/ml | 19.6 ng/ml |
| 19.7 ng/ml | 19.8 ng/ml | 19.9 ng/ml | 20 ng/ml | ||||
| Severe PSA increase | |||||||
| 20.1 ng/ml | 20.2 ng/ml | 20.3 ng/ml | 20.4 ng/ml | 20.5 ng/ml | 20.6 ng/ml | 20.7 ng/ml | 20.8 ng/ml |
| 20.9 ng/ml | 21 ng/ml | 21.1 ng/ml | 21.2 ng/ml | 21.3 ng/ml | 21.4 ng/ml | 21.5 ng/ml | 21.6 ng/ml |
| 21.7 ng/ml | 21.8 ng/ml | 21.9 ng/ml | 22 ng/ml | 22.1 ng/ml | 22.2 ng/ml | 22.3 ng/ml | 22.4 ng/ml |
| 22.5 ng/ml | 22.6 ng/ml | 22.7 ng/ml | 22.8 ng/ml | 22.9 ng/ml | 23 ng/ml | 23.1 ng/ml | 23.2 ng/ml |
| 23.3 ng/ml | 23.4 ng/ml | 23.5 ng/ml | 23.6 ng/ml | 23.7 ng/ml | 23.8 ng/ml | 23.9 ng/ml | 24 ng/ml |
| 24.1 ng/ml | 24.2 ng/ml | 24.3 ng/ml | 24.4 ng/ml | 24.5 ng/ml | 24.6 ng/ml | 24.7 ng/ml | 24.8 ng/ml |
| 24.9 ng/ml | 25 ng/ml | 25.1 ng/ml | 25.2 ng/ml | 25.3 ng/ml | 25.4 ng/ml | 25.5 ng/ml | 25.6 ng/ml |
| 25.7 ng/ml | 25.8 ng/ml | 25.9 ng/ml | 26 ng/ml | 26.1 ng/ml | 26.2 ng/ml | 26.3 ng/ml | 26.4 ng/ml |
| 26.5 ng/ml | 26.6 ng/ml | 26.7 ng/ml | 26.8 ng/ml | 26.9 ng/ml | 27 ng/ml | 27.1 ng/ml | 27.2 ng/ml |
| 27.3 ng/ml | 27.4 ng/ml | 27.5 ng/ml | 27.6 ng/ml | 27.7 ng/ml | 27.8 ng/ml | 27.9 ng/ml | 28 ng/ml |
| 28.1 ng/ml | 28.2 ng/ml | 28.3 ng/ml | 28.4 ng/ml | 28.5 ng/ml | 28.6 ng/ml | 28.7 ng/ml | 28.8 ng/ml |
| 28.9 ng/ml | 29 ng/ml | 29.1 ng/ml | 29.2 ng/ml | 29.3 ng/ml | 29.4 ng/ml | 29.5 ng/ml | 29.6 ng/ml |
| 29.7 ng/ml | 29.8 ng/ml | 29.9 ng/ml | 30 ng/ml | 30.1 ng/ml | 30.2 ng/ml | 30.3 ng/ml | 30.4 ng/ml |
| 30.5 ng/ml | 30.6 ng/ml | 30.7 ng/ml | 30.8 ng/ml | 30.9 ng/ml | 31 ng/ml | 31.1 ng/ml | 31.2 ng/ml |
| 31.3 ng/ml | 31.4 ng/ml | 31.5 ng/ml | 31.6 ng/ml | 31.7 ng/ml | 31.8 ng/ml | 31.9 ng/ml | 32 ng/ml |
| 32.1 ng/ml | 32.2 ng/ml | 32.3 ng/ml | 32.4 ng/ml | 32.5 ng/ml | 32.6 ng/ml | 32.7 ng/ml | 32.8 ng/ml |
| 32.9 ng/ml | 33 ng/ml | 33.1 ng/ml | 33.2 ng/ml | 33.3 ng/ml | 33.4 ng/ml | 33.5 ng/ml | 33.6 ng/ml |
| 33.7 ng/ml | 33.8 ng/ml | 33.9 ng/ml | 34 ng/ml | 34.1 ng/ml | 34.2 ng/ml | 34.3 ng/ml | 34.4 ng/ml |
| 34.5 ng/ml | 34.6 ng/ml | 34.7 ng/ml | 34.8 ng/ml | 34.9 ng/ml | 35 ng/ml | 35.1 ng/ml | 35.2 ng/ml |
| 35.3 ng/ml | 35.4 ng/ml | 35.5 ng/ml | 35.6 ng/ml | 35.7 ng/ml | 35.8 ng/ml | 35.9 ng/ml | 36 ng/ml |
| 36.1 ng/ml | 36.2 ng/ml | 36.3 ng/ml | 36.4 ng/ml | 36.5 ng/ml | 36.6 ng/ml | 36.7 ng/ml | 36.8 ng/ml |
| 36.9 ng/ml | 37 ng/ml | 37.1 ng/ml | 37.2 ng/ml | 37.3 ng/ml | 37.4 ng/ml | 37.5 ng/ml | 37.6 ng/ml |
| 37.7 ng/ml | 37.8 ng/ml | 37.9 ng/ml | 38 ng/ml | 38.1 ng/ml | 38.2 ng/ml | 38.3 ng/ml | 38.4 ng/ml |
| 38.5 ng/ml | 38.6 ng/ml | 38.7 ng/ml | 38.8 ng/ml | 38.9 ng/ml | 39 ng/ml | 39.1 ng/ml | 39.2 ng/ml |
| 39.3 ng/ml | 39.4 ng/ml | 39.5 ng/ml | 39.6 ng/ml | 39.7 ng/ml | 39.8 ng/ml | 39.9 ng/ml | 40 ng/ml |
| 40.1 ng/ml | 40.2 ng/ml | 40.3 ng/ml | 40.4 ng/ml | 40.5 ng/ml | 40.6 ng/ml | 40.7 ng/ml | 40.8 ng/ml |
| 40.9 ng/ml | 41 ng/ml | 41.1 ng/ml | 41.2 ng/ml | 41.3 ng/ml | 41.4 ng/ml | 41.5 ng/ml | 41.6 ng/ml |
| 41.7 ng/ml | 41.8 ng/ml | 41.9 ng/ml | 42 ng/ml | 42.1 ng/ml | 42.2 ng/ml | 42.3 ng/ml | 42.4 ng/ml |
| 42.5 ng/ml | 42.6 ng/ml | 42.7 ng/ml | 42.8 ng/ml | 42.9 ng/ml | 43 ng/ml | 43.1 ng/ml | 43.2 ng/ml |
| 43.3 ng/ml | 43.4 ng/ml | 43.5 ng/ml | 43.6 ng/ml | 43.7 ng/ml | 43.8 ng/ml | 43.9 ng/ml | 44 ng/ml |
| 44.1 ng/ml | 44.2 ng/ml | 44.3 ng/ml | 44.4 ng/ml | 44.5 ng/ml | 44.6 ng/ml | 44.7 ng/ml | 44.8 ng/ml |
| 44.9 ng/ml | 45 ng/ml | 45.1 ng/ml | 45.2 ng/ml | 45.3 ng/ml | 45.4 ng/ml | 45.5 ng/ml | 45.6 ng/ml |
| 45.7 ng/ml | 45.8 ng/ml | 45.9 ng/ml | 46 ng/ml | 46.1 ng/ml | 46.2 ng/ml | 46.3 ng/ml | 46.4 ng/ml |
| 46.5 ng/ml | 46.6 ng/ml | 46.7 ng/ml | 46.8 ng/ml | 46.9 ng/ml | 47 ng/ml | 47.1 ng/ml | 47.2 ng/ml |
| 47.3 ng/ml | 47.4 ng/ml | 47.5 ng/ml | 47.6 ng/ml | 47.7 ng/ml | 47.8 ng/ml | 47.9 ng/ml | 48 ng/ml |
| 48.1 ng/ml | 48.2 ng/ml | 48.3 ng/ml | 48.4 ng/ml | 48.5 ng/ml | 48.6 ng/ml | 48.7 ng/ml | 48.8 ng/ml |
| 48.9 ng/ml | 49 ng/ml | 49.1 ng/ml | 49.2 ng/ml | 49.3 ng/ml | 49.4 ng/ml | 49.5 ng/ml | 49.6 ng/ml |
| 49.7 ng/ml | 49.8 ng/ml | 49.9 ng/ml | 50 ng/ml | 50.1 ng/ml | 50.2 ng/ml | 50.3 ng/ml | 50.4 ng/ml |
| 50.5 ng/ml | 50.6 ng/ml | 50.7 ng/ml | 50.8 ng/ml | 50.9 ng/ml | 51 ng/ml | 51.1 ng/ml | 51.2 ng/ml |
| 51.3 ng/ml | 51.4 ng/ml | 51.5 ng/ml | 51.6 ng/ml | 51.7 ng/ml | 51.8 ng/ml | 51.9 ng/ml | 52 ng/ml |
| 52.1 ng/ml | 52.2 ng/ml | 52.3 ng/ml | 52.4 ng/ml | 52.5 ng/ml | 52.6 ng/ml | 52.7 ng/ml | 52.8 ng/ml |
| 52.9 ng/ml | 53 ng/ml | 53.1 ng/ml | 53.2 ng/ml | 53.3 ng/ml | 53.4 ng/ml | 53.5 ng/ml | 53.6 ng/ml |
| 53.7 ng/ml | 53.8 ng/ml | 53.9 ng/ml | 54 ng/ml | 54.1 ng/ml | 54.2 ng/ml | 54.3 ng/ml | 54.4 ng/ml |
| 54.5 ng/ml | 54.6 ng/ml | 54.7 ng/ml | 54.8 ng/ml | 54.9 ng/ml | 55 ng/ml | 55.1 ng/ml | 55.2 ng/ml |
| 55.3 ng/ml | 55.4 ng/ml | 55.5 ng/ml | 55.6 ng/ml | 55.7 ng/ml | 55.8 ng/ml | 55.9 ng/ml | 56 ng/ml |
| 56.1 ng/ml | 56.2 ng/ml | 56.3 ng/ml | 56.4 ng/ml | 56.5 ng/ml | 56.6 ng/ml | 56.7 ng/ml | 56.8 ng/ml |
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