4 week post op PSA

Hi everyone,
just checking in...not much to report. Hubby had his first psa test 2 weeks post-op---it was 0.540, then he did another at 4 weeks post op---0.122
So here's hoping it continues to fall....but it still looks like adjuvant radiation will be coming around easter, due to pathology findings. T3bN1Mx. SV+ Clear margins. Completely dry within 12 hours of catheter removal.

Thanks as usual for being my sounding board and for being someone that's listening:)

Take a breath....4 weeks is really too soon to know what is going on. I think most would agree the 3 month test is a far better indicator...so hang tight...you are on a downward trend...let's hope it continues.

Hi
2 PSA tests within 4 weeks is a bit early to gauge the result for the surgery.
hang on...a better reading should come next.
All the best.....

The others are giving you great info. The PSA test really means nothing until about 3 months after the surgery. Your husband's PSA actually looks like it is progressing down toward zero as the first weeks go by.

So, it is expected that it would not be down to zero after just one month.

Most doctors don't bother with the first PSA test until that 90 day period has passed.

So he is very likely doing very well. :)

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.
Pathology showed Gleason 3 + 3, pT2c, N0, MX, R1
adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
Prostate 98.3 grams, tumor 2 grams. Prostate size 5.0 x 4.7 x 4.5 cm.
Abdominal drain painlessly removed morning after surgery.
Catheter painlessly out in 7 days. No incontinence, occasional minor dripping. 100% continent after 3 weeks.
Post-op exams 2/13/12, 9/10/12, 9/9/13 PSA <0.1. PSA tests now annual.
Brief, firm erections on occasion, still hoping for more improvement.

Ashley:
Add to his (your?) signature the post op G score of 8.
Regardless of these psa readings I think that some treatment is in his future. Tell him to keep healing and walking and thinking positive thoughts. He has had a great advantage come his way. Just keep that in mind. He had a fine surgeon as I suspected in an earlier post. The dry in 12 hours things tells that tale.

Thanks everyone for the kind words:)
I should say---it wasn't the surgeon who wanted the psa tests done---it was hubby. LOL. The "not knowing" anything was driving him mad---so he got it checked to see if it was headed in the right direction. It was---so he did it again 2 weeks later---lower again. So it was all for his own mental well being...I feel like he's been a bit less anxious since doing these tests, and therefore it feels to him like that he's doing something---something he has control over;) Hey at this point---if thats what makes him feel better, so be it!
Break 60: The adjuvant therapy would definitely be starting with casodex for several weeks followed by the RT.
Is there any truth to better results with RT+HT within 90 days of RP???

Ashley, many thanks for the update. I had nearly the same early psa results with .11 at 4 weeks and then a nice drop to .05 at 6 weeks and a .03 before bouncing up to .07 at 26 weeks. I'm hopeful that you'll reach sub .1 in the near future!

Ps - I also wanted to know the psa score early and often and I'm a fan of the 2 decimal psa score for directional use.

Best,

Luther