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The PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is not an absolute indicator of cancer by any means. I frequently find it elevated in folks and treat them with antibiotics for a sub clinical (non symptomatic) prostatitis (infection) and they drop into the normal range. A lot of urologists do not do this, which really irks me as the decision seems to be one financially based. It can be incredibly problematic for a patient to have a biopsy if they are in fact infected.

What’s more, the rise in the PSA (e.g. going from 1 to 3 in 1 year) is just as or more important than the absolute number.

The real issue is if you get an elevated PSA, have a biopsy, and find out you have cancer, which is early and localized. Let’s say you are 75 years old. The is probably a 90% chance something else is going to kill you before the cancer.

What’s wrong with having the surgery or other treatments? The treatments can have messy side effects from death to incontinence.

Believe me. If you have a elevated PSA, read and talk to more than one doctor. It will be well worth your time.