HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

How "good" is first uPSA being undetectable after RP?

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/21/2016 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Still out here and reading HW posts everyday.

I continue to get better everyday and am now focusing on losing those 15-20 lbs I gained while sitting around all summer!

So, as you can see in my signature, my first uPSA after RP was <.006. That was Sept 1, which was 3 months post surgery. My question is how significant is the first uPSA being undetectable? Does this tell me that my cancer was/is localized? I had a small +Margin and EPE. If, and when, I have to pull the trigger on SRT, can I be hopeful that I still have a chance a cure, or long term remission?

As of now, I am like most of you, living PSA test to PSA test.

Wishing well to all HW members!

J
Posted 10/21/2016 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
How "good" is it?

It is the best possible result! Doesn't get any "gooder."
Posted 10/21/2016 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
That's not good - that's great!!

There are no guarantees, but with this PSA and your negative lymph nodes and negative seminal vesicles you may well never need SRT. And if I understand correctly, even if you have some future PSA increase, your positive margin is a strong suggestion that it would be local to your (former) prostate and therefore very responsive to SRT.

Jim
Posted 10/21/2016 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
Of course you can be hopeful! Congratulations on the undetectable uPSA!
Posted 10/22/2016 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
JayMot, welcome to the zero club. Drinks are on you! (I'll have a Smith's Nut Brown Ale, if you please)

To answer the question, yes it's significant. Now it's time to put together a string of them. Before you know it, you'll be on a 6 month schedule...then a yearly. Keep getting stronger. How's the other two sides of the trifecta going?
Posted 10/22/2016 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
JayMot

This is not the news you want to hear. Yes, <.006 is great, however
being upgraded to GS 8 and T3a puts you in high risk category. You have locally advanced PC.
I heard similar words nine years ago from my world class urologist. My numbers after surgery were .005, GS 3+4=7, negative margin, + focal EPE, T3a.
Now the good news. My doctor monitored me every three months. My doctor is a leading researcher and advocate for SRT at .03. He let me go until I reached .06. It took 8 years. I am 18 months out from SRT. All of my psa reading have been <.006. Praise God! Both my urologist and RO give me better than 85% chance that I am through with PC. My RO specializes in SRT only - she is at MD Anderson here in Houston. Get the best doctor you can and then be diligent in checking your psa regularly.

Yes, celebrate your very low psa. You may not ever have to do anything else with PC. Stay engaged with timely testing and if needed, pull the trigger early on secondary treatment. Congratulations!
Posted 10/22/2016 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
Octorobo,

Real quick, I am not a GS 8, my post op pathology put me at a GS 7 (4+3). My signature shows a GS 8 second BIOPSY reading, pre surgery. I guess those primary 4 cells are the same for both GS7 and GS8.

Anyway, I know overall the <.006 is a great first uPSA, but does it actually "tell" me anything? Can I assume right now that the PCa was localized? I guess what I am reading is 'no'. I guess if there are any distant metastasis, it, or they, would just be so microscopic that they would not show on a uPSA right now.

Octorobo, looking forward, I wouldn't mind getting those 7-8 years that you got post surgery before progressing to your next treatment (SRT).

So, I play the waiting game........

J
Posted 10/22/2016 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
Does it "tell" you anything?

It tells you that you've had a great start, but it is not predictive in any way which seems to be what you're asking.

Great start
Posted 10/22/2016 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
I echo the the previous responses. This is a great 1st step. You passed the test with a great score. Enjoy the victory. Unfortunately, it's not predictive of the future. Stay vigilant. Keep using ultrasensative psa testing to monitor for changes. Most importantly, heal! And get willy working as soon and as often as possible.
Posted 10/22/2016 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
JNF and JackH, I can't believe I couldn't express that,....YES, I was trying to find out if there is any "predictive" weight to going thru RP and subsequently going to undetectable. Thanks for finding that "word". I must be a little slow this Saturday morning!

J
Posted 10/22/2016 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, I meant JFL1957, not JNF.
Posted 10/22/2016 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
You asked a very narrow question....does your first post-RP PSA predict your case future.

It won't, but there are tools (nanograms) which use your other important case characteristics to predict your case outcome. Go to this MSKCC site and try the "Post-RP" tool. You'll see the importance of those other characteristics.

But starting with your low PSA is always a good starting point..

/www.mskcc.org/nomograms/prostate
Posted 10/22/2016 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
Jaymot, congratulations on the PSA. I'm not sure what it means for your future either but I do know how poor the prognosis is if you did not get to undetectable after surgery. My surgery roommate ended up with a very poor pathology after surgery and his PSA was detectable and is now on a slow rise. He has now started to do the HT to battle and hold off the beast as long as possible. So as others have said it is very positive that you cleared the first hurdle with an undetectable PSA because the alternative could possibly be much worse. Should you ever need further treatment, hopefully you can hold it off for as long as possible so keep those undetectables coming...Jim
Posted 10/23/2016 5:51 AM (GMT 0)
It's predictive. It's telling you that, as far as prostate cancer is concerned, you've still got livin' to do. ("Your mission Jim, should you choose to accept it...")

"I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead."

/www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfV_v3ymO3o

:-)
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply