Goody5: Uncles PSA 2 then 8

My Uncle's PSA was 2 for a long time. It then jumped to an 8.  I have learned from my new books that the cancer could have been there for the last 10 years!  Does this mean it was there when he had a 2 and it just decided to take off

Also, it says that older men usually have higher gleason scores because the cancer has been there a longer time.

 Another thing, we know he has cancer but according to Walsh's book that jump to 8 might not be a true reading. I guess we won't know because he did not have another PSA done before biopsy. 

Any comments always appreciated.  Waiting for results is really tough.

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Cheryl

Father diagnosed 13 years ago @ age 63

Watchful waiting until PSA jumped from 6 to 10

Cancer found in 1 core

Gleason score 6

Seeds implanted

PSA has been low since (don't know exact numbers)

Uncle (mother's brother) age 68

PSA jump from 2 to 8 in 18 months (2/08)

DRE was normal (2/08)

Biopsy (3/08) Cancer found

Bone scan and CAT scan (3/08)

We do not have results of scans or Gleason score yet.

Waiting to see urologist

Post Edited By Moderator (bluebird) : 4/11/2008 8:24:52 PM (GMT-6)

Hi Cheryl,

PSAs are strange sometimes.. when my father had his first PSA it was 4800 and then 15 days later - before we had even started any treatment it was 2800. i think you should not get too stuck on the exact figure but use it as an indication of the extent. For eg although my fathers bone scan was clear because his PSA was so high we kept investigating and did an MRI which eventually found bone metastases undetected by the bone scan.

Am not sure this helps but wish you peace and strength.