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Big increase in PSA

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Posted 6/14/2010 10:33 PM (GMT 0)

I just received first PSA score (3 months post radiation) and it’s going the wrong way.  It was 58.  I retested to rule out an error but it’s still in 50’s.  This is way higher than it’s ever been before; pre and post treatment(s). It was 8 prior to surgery and 1 prior to radiation treatment. All MRI’s /scans prior to treatments were clear.  I’ll be calling oncologist tomorrow to see what next steps might be.

 I’ve been a lurker in the forum for past year but don’t recall seeing PSA increases like this before.  Has anyone else seen a jump like this?

To say I’m panicked is an understatement (I may have to join the Anxiety forum).

 

Posted 6/14/2010 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
Kevin on LI:

You will receive shortly some good responses from very knowledgeable guys who have been through radiation after surgery, but in the meantime let me get you to clarify some things that they may want to know:

You received a PSA reading of 58 on June 10th (last Thursday).  When were you actually tested?  Were there a test between the end of your radiation treatment and that test?  If so, what was your PSA reading from that test(s)?

Then you "retested to rule out an error" - when?  On June 10th?  When did you get the test results - today (the 14th)?  What was that result (I know ... "in the 50's," but where exactly in the 50's)?

I'll now step aside and let the big guns weigh in.

Good luck.

Zen9

 

Posted 6/15/2010 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Zen9,

My first test after radiation was last Tuesday ( June 8). The results came in on Thursday at 58. The doctor asked me to come in for a retest on Thursday to make sure there wasn't a lab error. I got results of that retest this morning. It was a little lower at 53.

My last radiation treatment was Feb 25; so a little over 3 months passed before being tested.

Thanks
Posted 6/15/2010 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
OK, thanks.

I am sorry but I do not have the expertise or the personal experience to say anything meaningful about your situation. Obviously that is a large jump in PSA, but there are several potential explanations. I would suggest gathering some ideas from the guys who will respond to you here and then discussing them with a very good specialist, maybe several of them. If "LI" stands for Long Island, Dr. Peter Scardino at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC comes to mind, at least as a starting point, but I am sure you will get other good suggestions.

While you're waiting for responses, you might want to look at some of the signatures (the brief medical histories below the posts) of people on this board. Just look around at random. If it turns out to be relevant, know that there are people here who had PSAs much higher than yours and also people whose post-surgery radiation treatments failed but who are very much alive years later.

Your anxiety is perfectly normal. I know that doesn't help, but nevertheless ... it is.

Try to get a little rest tonight, even if you don't sleep much.

Zen9
Posted 6/15/2010 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
Kevin,
With that high of a psa after both surgey and radiation it is an indication that the PC is growing in other parts of your body. You need to see a top notch oncologist that specializes in prostate cancer. I can forward a list of oncologists if you e mail me.
Good luck.
JohnT
Posted 6/15/2010 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Kevin: 

Here is another angle to consider.  In my case, I had a PSA in January 06 of 7.  Later in the year on retest, it came back at 38.3.  My biopsy indicated gleason 3+4=7 with 2 of 12 in one area.  about 30%.  My PSA did not match the biopsy results.  After a course of CIPRO prior to treatment, the PSA went down to 15.  I believe that there was some infection at work and possibly you have a similiar situation.  You may want to talk to the Docs. about early CIPRO to check on prostitis or other infections.  Best of Luck, it may not be as bad is it appears.

Posted 6/15/2010 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
Why was pice of small intesine taken?
Posted 6/15/2010 1:50 PM (GMT 0)
Doctor said that when the prostate is removed, the small intestine should drop slightly.  When that didn't happen, they looked closer and saw that there parts fused together. In order to unfuse them (I don't think thats the techincal term), they had to bring in a surgeon to cut out a small piece which looked like it had been infected. Doctor said the infection could have been caused by food posioning at some point.  The piece they took was biopsied and was clear.

It turned my planned one night stay to a 5 night stay and 3 days without anything to eat or drink.

Posted 6/15/2010 1:53 PM (GMT 0)
My first PA was the same a pre IMRT. I see yours has decreased slightly since the Rad. I would wait for a least one more PSA test before doing anything drastic (ADT). My 2nd PSA test 6 months out after IMRT was 0.00.
Posted 6/15/2010 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
Kevin

I hope the oncologist has the answers or suggestions. Frankly your stats confuse me.
It's almost as though the lab made a mix up with the earliest PSA tests.
All the best with that phone call.

Alfred
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