While it’s not a medical condition, having certain medical procedures can lead to temporarily elevated PSA levels. “[The PSA] is not a perfect test, but it can find a lot of early stage and not-so-aggressive prostate cancers,” Dr. Saltzman says, noting that higher PSA levels don’t always signal a cancer diagnosis.
Measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), a PSA level below 4 ng/mL generally signals that you don’t have prostate cancer. PSA levels between 4 and 10 are considered the “borderline range” where there’s a 25 percent chance of having prostate cancer, while PSA levels higher than 10 denote a more than 50 percent chance of having prostate cancer, and will likely require further testing.
“Tinkering with the ‘plumbing’ often causes a reaction. Procedures like cystoscopy, catheter placement, or even a rigorous prostate exam can cause inflammation that temporarily bumps up PSA numbers,” says Brahmbhatt. “This is why we recommend patients to avoid any aggressive cycling, sexual activity, and prolonged sitting two to three days before getting a PSA lab test.”
Keep in mind that such procedures can trigger other symptoms that can overlap with prostate cancer, too. “Medical procedures can cause temporary urinary irritation or mild bleeding, which can resemble symptoms people associate with cancer, but they improve without long-term issues,” says Michael S. Leapman, MD, an associate professor of urology at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, who recommends seeking medical evaluation if these symptoms persist after a few weeks.
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