What If a PSA Level Is 7?
PSA or Prostate-Specific-Antigen is a type of protein produced in the prostate. According to the American Cancer Society PSA is found in semen, but small amounts can also be found in the male bloodstream 1. Generally the higher your PSA level, the greater your risk of prostate cancer.
Levels
According to the American Cancer Society healthy males have levels under 4 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter) of blood 1. A level of seven would put you between 4 and 10, giving you a 1 in 4 chance of having prostate cancer. Any level above 10, gives you a 50 percent chance.
Other Triggers
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Conditions such as BPG (benign prostatic hyperplasia), a non-cancerous swelling of the prostate gland, an infection, inflammation or natural aging can also make PSA levels rise.
Misconceptions
Some men with a PSA level below four can also have prostate cancer 1. For instance, overweight men can maintain a low PSA level, even if they have cancer.
Symptoms
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Early prostate cancer often shows no signs 1. Advanced forms can be noted by impotence, blood in the urine, loss of bladder or bowel control. Bone pain can also be prevalent.
Recommendations
PSA tests are controversial mainly because there are instances where either false-positives or false-negatives can adversely affect the patient. Of course a false negative could be life-threatening. It's always important to discuss when and if you need a prostate exam with your doctor.
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References
- American Cancer Society: How is Prostate Cancer Found?
- National Cancer Institute. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Updated October 4, 2017.
- National Institute on Aging. Prostate problems. National Institutes of Health. Updated July 01, 2016.
- Teerlink CC, Thibodeau SN, McDonnell SK, et al. Association analysis of 9,560 prostate cancer cases from the International Consortium of Prostate Cancer Genetics confirms the role of reported prostate cancer associated SNPs for familial disease. Hum Genet. 2014;133:347-356. doi:10.1007/s00439-013-1384-2
- US Preventive Services Task Force, Grossman DC, Curry SJ, et al. Screening for Prostate Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement JAMA. 2018;319:1901-1913. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.3710
- Informed Health. How does the prostate work? Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Updated August 23, 2016.
- National Cancer Institute. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Updated October 4, 2017.
- National Institute on Aging. Prostate problems. National Institutes of Health. Updated July 01, 2016.
- Elkahwaji JE. The role of inflammatory mediators in the development of prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. Res Rep Urol. 2012;5:1-10. Published 2012 Dec 31. doi:10.2147/RRU.S23386
- Burns JA, Weiner AB, Catalona WJ, et al. Inflammatory bowel disease and the risk of prostate cancer. Eur Urol. 2019;75:846-852. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2018.11.039
- Ge Y, Shi Q, Yao W, Cheng Y, Ma G. The association between inflammatory bowel disease and prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2020;23:53-58. doi:10.1038/s41391-019-0177-7
- Teerlink CC, Thibodeau SN, McDonnell SK, et al. Association analysis of 9,560 prostate cancer cases from the International Consortium of Prostate Cancer Genetics confirms the role of reported prostate cancer associated SNPs for familial disease. Hum Genet. 2014;133:347-356. doi:10.1007/s00439-013-1384-2
- Kani HT, Shen B. Male issues of the ileal pouch. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2015;21(3):716-722. doi:10.1097/MIB.0000000000000226
- Jung YS, Han M, Park S, Kim WH, Cheon JH. Cancer risk in the early stages of inflammatory bowel disease in Korean patients: A nationwide population-based study. J Crohns Colitis. 2017;11:954-962. doi:10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjx040
Writer Bio
Caroline Carter is a freelance sports/health and fitness writer based in Alpharetta, Georgia. She worked for 15 years as a television/radio sports anchor/reporter in Canada. She covered many legendary sports franchises. Carter is also a licensed travel agent. She has a degree in broadcast journalism from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, Canada.