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Urologist Says One PSA Test Never Settles Prostate Cancer Screening
PSA over 10: 50% cancer oddsNormal range: 3.5-4 ng/mL15% of cases test normalRepeat testing advised
A single PSA result cannot rule prostate cancer in or out, Dr. Firas Abdollah, a urologist at Henry Ford Health, tells TODAY in a piece published October 10, 2026.
Dr. Firas Abdollah, a urologist at Henry Ford Health, tells TODAY that a normal PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, result does not mean screening is finished. He explains that a normal PSA level falls between 3.5 and 4 nanograms per milliliter, and that people with prostate cancer typically read above that range. According to the American Cancer Society, as cited in the TODAY piece, a PSA reading above 10 carries a 50% chance of prostate cancer, while 15% of men who do have prostate cancer still fall below the normal range. Abdollah says PSA can rise for reasons that have nothing to do with cancer, including certain medications, a prostate infection, a recent medical procedure or even cycling, and that levels can shift over time. He tells TODAY that most of the patients he sees in his clinic with abnormal results are surprised because they feel fine, since prostate cancer is often symptomless in its early, slow-growing stages.
PSA is a protein made by the prostate gland that leaks into the bloodstream in larger amounts when prostate tissue is inflamed, infected or growing abnormally, which is why the blood test is used as an early screening clue rather than a diagnosis. Abdollah says that when a PSA result is abnormal, the next step is typically a referral to a urologist, sometimes a biopsy if the number is especially high, or a repeat PSA test the following year to track any change before deciding whether a biopsy is warranted.
PSA above 10 vs. within normal range: reported cancer odds
Data Panel
- Who
- General population of men undergoing prostate cancer screening, as discussed by a Henry Ford Health urologist
- Design
- Expert interview and clinical explanation reported by TODAY, not a controlled study
- Dose
- Not applicable
- Primary result
- Normal PSA range given as 3.5 to 4 nanograms per milliliter; PSA above 10 carries a 50% chance of prostate cancer per the American Cancer Society
- Secondary
- 15% of men with prostate cancer have PSA readings within the normal range; PSA can also rise from medication, infection, recent procedures or cycling without cancer present
- Funding / conflicts
- Funding and conflicts not reported in the article.
This report reflects one urologist's clinical explanation of how PSA testing works, not a published study with a defined patient group, control arm or measured outcomes. The specific numbers on cancer probability come from the American Cancer Society as relayed in the TODAY article, not from new data in this piece.
Dr. Axe's Take
I tell people what Dr. Abdollah tells his patients: PSA is one data point, not a verdict. A normal reading doesn't clear you, and a high one doesn't condemn you, since 15% of men with prostate cancer still test normal. I'd rather see men track PSA across consecutive years than panic over one draw, while supporting prostate health through zinc-rich foods, saw palmetto, and less inflammatory seed oils and processed meat. If my doctor ordered a repeat test or biopsy, I'd follow through. This isn't a test to skip because one result looked fine, or fear because one result looked high.
— Dr. Axe