HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

PSA testing frequency following surgery?

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/29/2015 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
I just had my fourth post surgery psa test at the end of September. I happy to report it was a zero, but while at the checkout window my doctor and I where discussing a timix trial. Due to this he never told them when to have me back in. She simply put me down for three months out, and said she would check with him, and reschedule if necessary.

Now I can't find out when it's supposed to be, getting anyone on the phone is painful at best, and someone that can actually do something, nearly impossible.

So the question is, when do you go to every six months, and finally to once a year?

At this time I'm really leaning toward having my PCP do these and send my URO the results from now on. I'm happy (as happy as you can be in these situations anyway) with my uro, but his office is ran by a bunch of clowns.
Posted 10/29/2015 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
Each case is a bit different depending on how aggressive the PC was. Given that you were a G6, I would think that you could go to once every six months now.

Unless you have continuing urological issues, I see no reason why you can't switch to PCP now. If the PSA starts going back up, then call the URO. Otherwise, life is good.

That's about were I am. I don't see my URO or RO. My health plan has a "cancer monitoring" group whose RN schedules tests and sends me results. Any result outside expected limits is set on to the doctors.

Hang in there,
Andrew
Posted 10/29/2015 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
Thurman –

Since I also am a G6, 3/12 on biopsy, and dx'd as organ contained (but had RT – we differ there), I'm posting, for information purposes only, the schedule I have followed so far on PSA testing done since treatment.

But again, note that it's "for information purposes only." As InTheShop says above, each person is different, and the schedule that works for one person may not work for another.

However, perhaps it is still useful to take a look at what has worked for another person with some similar numbers, namely me:

IMRT treatment ended June, 2012

PSA TEST DATES……….MONTHS SINCE LAST TEST
JUL 31, 2012………………………… N/A
DEC 3, 2012…………………………..4
APR 8, 2013…………………………..4
OCT 14, 2013…………….………….6
APR 14, 2014……………..………….6
OCT 13, 2014…………….………….6
OCT 21, 2015………………………12
Posted 10/29/2015 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
I think different doctors have different protocols for testing. I have every three months for three first year, then every 6 months until year five. After five years, it was annual testing.
Posted 10/29/2015 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
Really strange communications at ur uro! I got a written set of instructions post op which listed everything I would be doing post surgery and when. I had surgery away from home so those instructions were for my local uro. Obviously that assumed no recurrence which was not my case.
Bob
Posted 10/29/2015 5:26 PM (GMT 0)

Somebody said...
Really strange communications at ur uro!

You have no idea! I suppose it's a prime example of a multi-urologist office with a large (clueless) staff.

They misfiled my surgery so many times it was finally denied over a year later....I'm having fun with that one now thanks to them!

Thanks for the responses everyone.
Posted 10/29/2015 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
I'm a (3+4), and based on that I'm told that assuming all zero's, I'll be at three month visits for the first year (one more to go, in January) and then to 6 months for a year, then, hopefully once a year
Posted 10/29/2015 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
My schedule is every 6 month for 2 years and then once per year for additional 8 years. My surgeon will follow me for 10 years he said. The follow up is by phone and I will be informed about the PSA test result then.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply