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Rising of PSA level after 10 years after RP

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Prostate Cancer
What to do when PSA level is up aftter 10 years of RP
PSA - 0.0% - 0 votes
PSADT - 100.0% - 3 votes
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Posted 11/12/2015 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Friends,
I am 70 years old and had RP 10 years ago. Since then I have checked my PSA level every 6 months and the results were <0.004. The last result level (2 weeks ago) was 0.01 - elvetion of 2.5. The PSA level befor my RP was 2.8 and the Glison index was 6. The patological test of the gland after in had been removed showed that the cancer was inside it only and it did not penetrate outside. PSA Cancer is a family story - my bother, my father, some of my uncles and some of cousins had PC. All my blood test are OK. My weight is 75 kg and my BMI 24.5. I am worried. What should I do?
Posted 11/12/2015 1:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hello AN,

I would not worry. 0.01 is a very very low reading. We have had many cases here where the methodology of testing has changed at the laboratory or the machine just was not calibrated correctly. A reading of 0.01 is normally a cause for celebration. I know you are worried but at that very low level there is no need to worry, it really is just noise.

Regards,
An
Posted 11/12/2015 1:12 PM (GMT 0)
The difference might be a change in the test itself. You are still considered undetectable. You might ask about the sensitivity of the latest test. Its probably a different sensitivity.
Posted 11/12/2015 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW.

Likely nothing to worry about as that's not much PSA. Could be a lot of reasons, lab variations (or error), some old prostate tissue starting to grow and so on.

Have you talked to your doctor about it? You could do that. You could also ask for a retest to confirm the number. I'd do anything but worry. Monitoring and seeing of the number changes is the best action. Clinically, I doubt any doctor would recommend treatments at this point.

It would be rare to have a re-occurrence after all this time.

Andrew
Posted 11/12/2015 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Rest easy ! You are stil In a great place . For sure you are being proactive with your health . You must be getting great medical care with the reccomend psa screening every six months .
Posted 11/15/2015 1:21 AM (GMT 0)
I too am 10 years out, 68 years old, very fit and healthy.

Just keep getting your PSA checked every 6 months. Your PSA is still well below the "worry level". Pay attention to the doubling time. My guess is that it will be measured in years. I would bet that you will never need add'l treatment.

In my case, psa started to to rise after 5 years. Went from <.03 (lowest that lab could recognize) to .05 at 5 years out. After that, slowly rising to current 0.15 at 10+ years out. Doubling time about 3 years. I monitor every 6 months and don't plan any further action unless doubling time starts to shorten quickly.

Had DaVinci nerve sparing at City of Hope in 2005. No incontinence, no ED and I don't intend to risk the side effects of add'l treatment unless there is a clear indication that the cancer is aggressively on the move.

Most people on this board would be delighted to have your stats.
Posted 11/15/2015 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
AN--0.01 is nothing to be concerned about. No urologist who follows standard protocols would even begin to entertain a question about initiating treatment.

I'm nearly a decade from my open prostatectomy and get a PSA test annually. The highest I've had is a 0.02, and for the last two years, the testing instrument has reported <0.03.

Don't worry, be happy.

All the best to you....Tim
Posted 11/15/2015 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
The ultra-sensitive test is famous for jumping around at the bottom end of the scale..This causes a lot of unwarranted anxiety.....
Posted 11/15/2015 4:05 AM (GMT 0)
I am a firm believer that there is more over treatment of pca after primary treatment then there is for the original primary treatment. A story: A navel airfield at inventory discovered that they had an unaccounted obstruction light. You've seen them at airports routinely. They are there to put on natural or manmade obstruction such as water tower or a radio tower near the airport to warn pilots of them. Well they knew the had to do something with it. So in true govt bureaucratic wisdom... they built an obstruction tower and placed the red obstruction light on it... Being treated for pca based on such low levels is like building the tower. Yes the pilot will be safe from it. Tho he would have been just as safe had there not been that unneeded obstruction light. Of course in the first instant he would have a side effect of an unnecessary flight adjustment, distracting him from other things in his duties. Safe flying as you go through a season in your life, which counterintuitively will add blessings that will not be denied.
Posted 11/15/2015 4:09 PM (GMT 0)

An38 said...
...I would not worry. 0.01 is a very very low reading. We have had many cases here where the methodology of testing has changed at the laboratory or the machine just was not calibrated correctly. A reading of 0.01 is normally a cause for celebration. ...


Actually, there seem to have be a slew of recent cases, some quite notable. IMO, labs across the system are not consistent enough in their machines, standards and calibration methods to be considered totally reliable at ultra-sensitive levels. This could be as simple as the person operating the machine and doing the calibration moved on to a different job.

Not anything to be concerned about.
Posted 11/19/2015 6:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Friends,
Yesterday my doctor called me regarding my question about the rising of my PSA from <0.004 over the last 10 years to 0.01 on my last test three weeks ago. He said not to worry. He said that the rise may be caused due to a change in the test kit. He added that after 10 years of RP the routine is to check the PSA level once a year. He rcommended to check my PSA in the next six month ahead (0n May 2016) and to be in touch with him. To make my story short he said "be calm do not worry and continue your life as usual".
Thak you all for your support.
Best regards
A. Nattiv
Posted 11/19/2015 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
That is good news An.
If I were in your shoes, which I'm not, I might think about retesting in 3 months. But that's because I'm a little nuts. Well, maybe not a little.
I'm guessing that the good Doctor is taking into consideration the fact that after 10 years, even if it IS something, which it probably isn't, it isn't aggressive, and 6?months won't put you at risk.
Posted 11/19/2015 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
I like your doctor. Lab variation is likely. At the very low numbers the chemistry gets tricky.

Hang in there, you're doing just fine,
Andrew
Posted 11/20/2015 6:18 AM (GMT 0)
More proof of why ultra sensitive PSA testing is more harmful than good.

After 10 years post surgery, your PSA has only risen to 1/10th. of even being considered detectable.

And even if it reached .10 there would/should be little reason to be concerned even then.
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