High PSA levels are not necessarily prostate cancer! here are 6 other possibilities

PSA level checks are often used to detect prostate cancer in men. However, this PSA level does not always indicate prostate cancer, you know! There are several conditions that appear to affect the results of examining PSA levels. What are the causes of high PSA levels? Come on, see the following reviews.

About PSA at a glance

PSA (Prostate Specific Agent) is a protein produced by the prostate gland. Because PSA levels are influenced by many factors, PSA is also not an indicator of good prostate health. Usually the doctor will look at the PSA level along with other risk factors, or the results of measuring other levels in the body, as well as a family history.

Why does the PSA level go up?

1. Age

PSA levels can increase as a person ages. This increase is due to the growth of prostate tissue with age. At age 40, the PSA limit to normal is 2.5, at age 60, the limit is 4.5 and at age 70 PSA reaches 6.5 is considered normal.

2. BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)

BPH is an enlarged prostate gland, but it is not prostate cancer. BPH is a condition in which prostate cells increase. The more cells in the prostate gland, the more cells that produce PSA. BPH is a problem that often occurs in men under the age of 50.

A man who has BPH has trouble urinating. If left untreated, this condition affects kidney function. Enlargement of the prostate gland is likely the result of changing hormone levels with age.

3. Prostatitis

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate. Usually this case occurs in men under 50 years and is often caused by a bacterial infection. Prostatitis causes swelling and irritation of the prostate gland. Symptoms that are found are usually lower back pain or abdominal pain, pain when urinating, and difficulty urinating. Inflammation that occurs in the prostate gland will increase PSA levels in the body.

4. Ejaculate

Based on research involving 60 healthy men, there is a close relationship between ejaculation and PSA levels in the body. In fact, the most noticeable increase in PSA occurred one hour after ejaculation. This tendency for high PSA levels occurs for 24 hours after ejaculation.

However, further research is needed to explain how ejaculation can affect PSA. If you want to have a PSA test, consider abstaining from sexual activity at least 24 hours before the test to see a more accurate PSA result.

5. Consumption of drugs or medical action

The administration of 5-alpha reductase blockers (finasteride or dutasteride) which is commonly used in cases of enlarged prostate gland will reduce the PSA level as if the PSA is low. Therefore, it is necessary to consider doing a PSA test or interpreting the PSA results while taking the drug.

Medical measures that can affect the results of the PSA test are catheterization and cystocopy. Catheterization is the installation of a thin tube or tube in the bladder to drain urine out. This catheterization can result in a false positive result on the PSA measurement. An incorrect result states that your PSA is high when it is not.

Cystoscopy, which is inserting a small, thin instrument with a camera into the bladder can also produce a false positive PSA measurement.

6. Parathyroid hormone

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a natural hormone produced by the body to regulate calcium levels in the blood. High levels of parathyroid hormone can increase PSA levels. Research involving more than 3,000 men measured in the NHANES laboratory showed that serum parathyroid hormone and calcium levels respectively are closely related to PSA.

Men with serum PTH levels above 66 pg / mL can increase 43 percent of PSA levels so that PTH can stimulate prostate growth in men and affect the results of PSA screening.