First post surgery PSA

It's not what one would like to see, but usually we try and see 3 post surgery PSAs before drawing any conclusions

Mel

I would not be too worried at this point. They usually do not take the first PSA reading until about 90 days from surgery -- and your test was only in HALF of that time. Much too early.

It takes a while for all the remaining PSA to work its way out of the bloodstream. That's why they usually wait 3 months to give it enough time.

The number you just saw is probably just the "freezeframe" reading of a number that is working its way down to ZERO.

Take care,
Chuck

Resident of Highland, Indiana just outside of Chicago, IL.
July 2011 local PSA lab reading 6.41 (from 4.1 in 2009). Mayo Clinic PSA Sept. 2011 was 5.7.
Local urologist DRE revealed significant BPH, but no lumps.
PCa Dx Aug. 2011 at age of 61.
Biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma in 3 of 20 cores (one 5%, two 20%). T2C.
Gleason score 3+3=6.
CT of abdomen, bone scan both negative.
DaVinci prostatectomy 11/1/11 at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), nerve sparing, age 62.
My surgeon was Dr. Matthew Tollefson, who I highly recommend.
Final pathology shows tumor confined to prostate.
5 lymph nodes, seminal vesicles, extraprostatic soft tissue all negative.
1.0 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm mass involving right posterior inferior,
right posterior apex & left mid posterior prostate.
Right posterior apex margin involved by tumor over a 0.2 cm length, doctor says this is insignificant.
Prostate 98.3 grams, tumor 2 grams. Prostate size 5.0 x 4.7 x 4.5 cm.
Abdominal drain removed the morning after surgery.
Catheter out in 7 days. No incontinence, occasional minor dripping.
Post-op exams 2/13/12, 9/10/12, PSA <0.1. PSA tests now annual.
Semi-firm erections now happening 14 months post-op & slowly getting a bit stronger.

I agree with the others....too  soon to  test, wait for the 3 month period...

I vote for a rest test in three months.

Andrew

Bill63,

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this distressing news so soon after your surgery.

The key point you make is that the tumor wasn't completely contained. And yes, I think your PSA is high even for 6 weeks weeks out. Unfortunately, that will probably mean adjuvant radiation as soon as your interior stitches are healed. Maybe some pre-treatment hormone therapy, although there's less evidence that it's useful with a Gleason 3+4 on a pathology report. At this point, if it were me, I'd be making an appointment with a radiation oncologist as soon as possible.

6 weeks out is too soon in my uro's scheme of things, which makes the number good.

I would suggest another test in a few weeks, but there is no reason to be concerned right now. You are in the healing phase. You couldn't march off to RT for another few months even if you wanted to. Heal the surgery, exercise, get continent.

Not a good post surgery number, but most surgeons I know wouldn't even check until 90 days out, to allow things to settle down. My 90 day number was .05, and my surgeon wasn't happy, and thought we were headed for trouble with a positive margin, and right he was.

I would say get tested at 90 days out, and see where it stands before drawing any conclusions or making any secondary treatment plans.

david in sc

After having a high PSA and ASAP on a biopsy my local guy sent me to UofC and they did and MRI and then a MRI guided biopsy and found it.