In the UK, 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Risk increases with age and is even higher for black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer.

If you are aged 45 or over, or have risk factors such as family history of prostate cancer, this test will help identify your PSA levels which if elevated, can be a sign of prostate cancer.

This test is suitable for individuals who have previously been diagnosed with prostate cancer and want to monitor their PSA levels, or those simply seeking a PSA test result to check your health.

What is a PSA test?

A PSA test is a blood test that measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by normal cells in the prostate and also by prostate cancer cells. It’s normal to have a small amount of PSA in your blood, and the amount rises slightly as you get older and your prostate gets bigger.

What does it mean if I have raised PSA levels?

A raised PSA level may suggest you have a problem with your prostate, but not necessarily cancer. It can also be a sign of a urine infection or prostatitis.
Raised levels can also be caused by certain activities such as recent ejaculation, vigorous exercise, prostate stimulation during anal sex or using urinary catheters.

If your results show an increased PSA level, we recommend speaking to your GP for further analysis and testing. You can also arrange a follow up test, usually best around 6-8 weeks later, to see if it was abnormally increased due to activities like those detailed above.

Your results will be emailed to you within 3-5 days of the sample arriving at the laboratory, so you can take action quickly if needed.