Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein that can be an indicator of one's prostate health, as elevated levels may signal the presence of cancer. Despite this fact, there are many different factors to consider when interpreting PSA readings - age, race and prior medical history all play important roles in determining safe thresholds for any individual patient.

Men under 50 typically require a PSA of 4.0 ng/mL or lower to be considered healthy; for those over 50, anything in the range of 4.0-6.0 is normal and safe - any higher than 6 may indicate further testing such as a biopsy or MRI should be done to check for prostate cancer.

Although an elevated PSA can be a warning sign of prostate cancer, it is by no means definitive. Unfortunately for some men with the disease, their PSA levels may stay normal- making routine screenings essential to catch and treat any potential issues before they become more serious ones.

Note: Please exercise clinical judgement with patients. The above is only meant as a general reference and each patient should be handled on a case by case basis based on their unique chemistry.