PSA concerns...

Good morning...

I am new to this forum. I have been reading many of the trials that the membership have or are going through. You are all truly inspiring!

My concerns are that my PSA went from 1.6 on September 1th of 2016 (annual physical....no further check until September 11th 2017) to 2.3 on September 11th of 2017 and then 1 month later to 5.6 on 10/12/17. I have been told (by DRE) that I have and have had a somewhat enlarged prostate secondary to BPH for many years (but PSA has always been normal at or around 1.6). I was told this by my internist and then by a Urologist that my internist sent me for a second opinion. The Urologist concurred with my internist (on the large size prostate condition) I continued to see this same Urologist for a couple of years and stopped seeing him ? 5 or more years ago. I have kept seeing the same internist who did the PSA testing and DRE for 20 + years). I have never been told that my prostate was nodular...only on the large side and now...most recently by the Urologist...firm on palpation (new information for me). I have had frequent urination for a couple of years now. No blood only a strange ache after urinating (which has gotten better over the past several weeks). I have been on testosterone replacement therapy because my body stopped manufacturing it secondary to a pituitary tumor 35 years ago. I have heard that testosterone can fuel PC...but I am not sure if that pertains to someone like me who has had to take it just to maintain normal levels...but...anyway...those levels may have been up many times secondary to poor monitoring of my T levels. So...other then that...diabetes under control with diet and exercise and much long standing degenerative disease in my joints (especially back and neck)...I have been pretty status quo...until this grabbed my attention. I have been reading on your forum that PSA (generally but not always) goes up slowly with PC. Does my PSA presenting as 2.3 (up from 1.6 when it spiked up ?) then going to 5.6 in indicate PC? Thank you very much.

Regards and best of luck to all!

Sono, To my knowledge and experience, a psa jump from 2.3 to 5.2 in a month is a spike indicative of prostatitis, not prostate cancer.

I would suggest diagnostic blood or urine tests like PHI, 4K Score, SelectMDX, or PCA3 to provide some additional information beyond just psa alone.

Welcome to HW, much more likely to be prostatitis. PC tends to move slowly and never drops without treatment. BPH also affects PSA.

More testing would be good. As has been mentioned, the PHI test might shed some more light on the issue.

Andrew

I understand. You need more testing. PHI, T level, maybe an ultra sound to find out the prostate size (BPH), followup PSA, etc. A biopsy might be in your future because of the DRE result. What did your URO recommended?

You should keep pressing for answers, but high PSA can be from a number of things. Sudden spikes are often prostatitis. PC generally doesn't jump like that. It can, but normally doesn't.

Stay in the URO's face until you get answers,
Andrew

Thank you to all..

Sono