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Established PSA test?

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Posted 5/17/2011 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor set me up for a 3 month PSA test in May (seed implant back in early February).

He calls it the "Established PSA". First one after my seed implant.

What does that mean?

How should I interpret the PSA reading in the test result?

Thanks.
Tom in CT
Posted 5/17/2011 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Tom, I had the Iodine implants and expected my PSA to be cut in half (or better) at 6 months.  After that it's a gradual decline with the median time to nadir at around 4 years.  For Palladium, I recall (but can't find the reference now) that the median time to cutting the PSA in half is around 90 days.  So...if you are at 2.4 or better, you should rejoice as being on the right track.  However, even if you are above that don't fret too much since 90 days is the median and you might be in the half that takes longer than that.  Actually, my doc had me wait 6 months before my first post-brachy PSA to "give it time"...

Please check back in and let us know the result.

Tudpock (Jim)

Posted 5/17/2011 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
Jim - thanks for the info. I was 4.8 a week before the implant. My 3 month PSA result is 0.5.

That seems to be quite a drop.

I've emailed my radiologist for his interpretation.

I was also wondering about the term "Established PSA". Maybe it just means that my prostate cancer was already officially "found", so the PSA test isn't being used for an initial diagnosis.

Anyway, I sure hope today's 0.5 is as good as it seems, and that it remains low. I know there can be a bounce a year or so later, but going from 4.8 "pre", to 0.5 "3 months post", seems to be really good news.

Thanks.
Tom in CT
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