Health Information
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
What Affects the Test
Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
- Recent sexual activity (ejaculation).
- Recent use of a tube (Reference catheter Opens New Window) to drain urine or a Reference cystoscopy Opens New Window.
- Recent Reference urinary tract infection (UTI) Opens New Window or prostatitis.
- Recent Reference digital rectal exam Opens New Window, prostate biopsy, or prostate surgery.
- Large doses of medicines, such as cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) and methotrexate for cancer treatment.
- The medicines finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart), which are used to prevent further enlargement of the Reference prostate gland Opens New Window in men with BPH.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference May 22, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Christopher G. Wood, MD, FACS - Urology, Oncology |
|
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