Doctors commonly use PSA tests to continuously monitor prostate cancer. Your doctor has likely brought up your PSA levels in conversation. If your PSA levels rise, your doctor might order a PSMA-PET scan to see if and where your cancer has spread and to determine your treatment options.

The PSA test was approved by the FDA in 1986. PSA is a protein found in the blood that is measured through a simple blood test. The test provides a numeric result and tells you if cancer may be present somewhere in the body.
Later, in 2020, the FDA approved a test for PSMA, known as a PSMA-PET scan. It detects PSMA on cancer cells, showing if and where the cancer has spread. The test results in an image of your body. Doctors commonly use PSA tests for screening prostate cancer, as well as monitoring throughout the treatment process. If PSA levels rise, a doctor might order a PSMA-PET scan to see if and where cancer has spread, as well as what treatment options are available.

PET, positron emission tomography; PSA, prostate-specific antigen; PSMA, prostate-specific membrane antigen; PSMA+, PSMA positive.