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Prostatic Specific Antigen, PSA (Screening)
MessagePerforming Lab: Central Lab, Lakeview, Hudson, St Cloud, Westfields
Test Code
3616
Alias/See Also
Sunquest: PSASC; Prostatic Specific Antigen Screen
CPT Codes
84153
Preferred Specimen
0.25 mL Serum separator (gold-top)
Minimum Volume
0.2 mL
Instructions
Ordering:
Order PSASC when screening a patient for an elevated PSA level.
Order PSA when following a patient's PSA level.
Order PSASC when screening a patient for an elevated PSA level.
Order PSA when following a patient's PSA level.
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Specimen Stability
Refrigerated - 4 days
Aliquot and Freeze - 7 days
Reject Criteria (Eg, hemolysis? Lipemia? Thaw/Other?)
Grossly hemolyzed
Methodology
Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA)
Setup Schedule
Monday - Friday
Report Available
Same day
Reference Range
0.0 - 4.0 ng/mL
Clinical Significance
If prostate cancer is diagnosed, the total PSA test may be used as a monitoring tool to help determine the effectiveness of treatment. It may also be ordered at regular intervals after treatment to detect recurrence of the cancer.
The total PSA test and digital rectal exam (DRE) may be used to screen both asymptomatic and symptomatic men for prostate cancer. If either the PSA or the DRE are found to be abnormal, then the doctor may choose to follow this testing with a prostate biopsy and perhaps imaging tests, such as an ultrasound. If the DRE is normal but the PSA is moderately elevated, the doctor may order a free PSA test to look at the ratio of free to total PSA. This can help to distinguish between prostate cancer and other non-cancer causes of elevated PSA. Since the total PSA test can be elevated temporarily for a variety of reasons, a doctor may order another PSA a few weeks after the first to determine if the PSA is still elevated.
Currently there is no consensus about using the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer in asymptomatic men. While prostate cancer is a relatively common type of cancer in men, it is an uncommon cause of death. In cases where the cancer appears to be slow-growing, the doctor and patient may decide to monitor its progress rather than pursue immediate treatment. Total PSA levels may be ordered at frequent intervals to monitor the change in PSA over time.
The total PSA test and digital rectal exam (DRE) may be used to screen both asymptomatic and symptomatic men for prostate cancer. If either the PSA or the DRE are found to be abnormal, then the doctor may choose to follow this testing with a prostate biopsy and perhaps imaging tests, such as an ultrasound. If the DRE is normal but the PSA is moderately elevated, the doctor may order a free PSA test to look at the ratio of free to total PSA. This can help to distinguish between prostate cancer and other non-cancer causes of elevated PSA. Since the total PSA test can be elevated temporarily for a variety of reasons, a doctor may order another PSA a few weeks after the first to determine if the PSA is still elevated.
Currently there is no consensus about using the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer in asymptomatic men. While prostate cancer is a relatively common type of cancer in men, it is an uncommon cause of death. In cases where the cancer appears to be slow-growing, the doctor and patient may decide to monitor its progress rather than pursue immediate treatment. Total PSA levels may be ordered at frequent intervals to monitor the change in PSA over time.
