No PSA level guarantees the absence of prostate cancer.
The risk of disease increases as the PSA level increases, from about 8% with PSA levels of ≤1.0 ng/mL to about 25% with PSA levels of 4-10 ng/mL and over 50% for levels over 10 ng/mL
50 years of age for men at average risk who have at least a 10-year life expectancy
DRE is examiner-dependent, and serial examinations over time are best
Most patients diagnosed with prostate cancer have normal DRE results but abnormal PSA readings
40 years of age for men with several first-degree relatives who had prostate cancer at an early age
Biopsy establishes the diagnosis
40 or 45 years of age for African Americans and men who have had a first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65 years
False-negative results often occur, so multiple biopsies may be needed before prostate cancer is detected