Need help with psa results

My brother just had his psa done 18 months after surgery yesterday and it went to 0.48. I am worried about it what will he need to do next? Please help

Post Edited (denisew151) : 3/12/2016 12:06:19 PM (GMT-7)

Thank you

I think that it is quite a rush for SRT. EAU guidelines writes: Early SRT provides a possibility of cure for patients with an increasing or persistent PSA after RP. More than
60% of patients who are treated before the PSA level rises to > 0.5 ng/mL will achieve an undetectable PSA level again.

Denise,

Viagra will not affect it.

Anything above 0.2 ng/ml (and confirmed) is officially deemed a "biochemical recurrence." More recent evidence suggests that even lower PSAs are a good indicator if there were adverse pathological results like positive margins or stage T3. If his PSA never became undetectable it would be worse. So yes, 0.48 is considered high, but it may still be curable with quick action.

Three randomized clinical trials have now shown that outcomes are better if you don't wait.

The radiation oncologist will look at his PSA pattern and pathology results (send them before the meeting), and he may want him to have a CT to check for enlarged lymph nodes (which can be treated as well). If his PSA has been rising very rapidly, he may suggest some advanced imaging, but that is problematic with PSAs under 2.0. Depending on his PSA doubling time and his pathology Gleason score, he may put him on hormone therapy for a couple of months before radiation begins and continue it for several months or even a couple of years afterwards.

- Allen

That's great that his pathology looked good and he achieved <0.02 after surgery - they augur well for a cure. He should double check his PSA to rule out lab error.

That isn't considered a high PSA, it is showing an increase over where it should be, but even at my lowest I was at 2.6, rose to 5.7, then up to 45 that i'm at now. And I've read of some with PSA's over 2000 so I wouldn't be too worried about the small increase, just means they'll have to switch to a different treatment than watch and see.

Octoboro,

Question, my fiancé's dr isn't using the ultra sensitive testing. It seems he went from undetectable (0) to 0.1 last week.

Do you have more information about treatment at 0.03? I have heard 0.2 but not 0.03 to start.
I am worried because he had positive focal margins, Gleason 7 and T2c.
It hasn't been 2 years yet since surgery. 7/14
Thanks!
This is my first message here I hope I did it right :)

Tedsgirl said...
They do not do ultra sensitive testing
Dr said retest 3/14/16 could be lab error ...

It would not be the first lab error we have seen here, hopefully that is what it is.

He needs to find and avail himself of ultra sensitive testing.

Thanks Ken!

Yes I will try to get him to cross that bridge once we get these results.

JFL1957,

We will know more tomorrow, he tested today. I agree with you. I will let him know.

Good to hear that IMRT isn't too bad as far as side effects. That is his big worry. Especially after the ED from surgery. Thank goodness for trimix!

Thanks again for your help. I appreciate your inputs.

Hi Halbert,
I think so. Let me start my own.
I am new..... :)