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Back again - part two

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 10/18/2017 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hello again - put a post in last August when my PSA started to flucuate - not pleased - told family was still "negative" and within range... though I wasn't. Oncologist admitted they did not get all the cancer from the surgery (2009) nor the following radiation treatments ( 2013).... this is what has occured since 2016.
2016
JANUARY - PSA - <0.010
JULY - PSA - <0.010
DECEMBER - PSA - 0.009
2017
JULY - PSA - 0.085
OCTOBER 19 - PSA - 0.28

Will be seeing Oncologist in February 2018 to decide what to do. Note: he wanted me to wait until Feb 2018 to do testing - 6 months - but I couldn't cope with that so family doctor arranged this 3 month testing.
The Feb testing should give a more accurate level of how this cancer is proceeding.. slow or exponential.... Thought I should share this with you. You have all been so supportive in the past. And support is very GFMPH !!
smile
Hugs,
Tatt2man ( Bronson)
Posted 10/19/2017 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
not the number you wanted.

Do let us know what happens in Feb.

Sorry you need more treatments, but there are treatments left for you.

Hang in there,
Andrew
Posted 10/19/2017 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
Bronson great to hear from you. Hugs back. We miss you here.

I'm sure you will do well. You have had quite a slog but there are many things available now that werent available way back in '09.

Keep plugging and I hope any OSA rise is very slow and you and the docs can control it.
Posted 10/19/2017 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
Good Luck on the next few PSA tests.
Remember to use the same Lab so that you are comparing apples to apples, etc.

Charles
Posted 10/19/2017 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
I am glad to hear from you Bronson as it has been a while. Wishing you the best outcome as you move onto the next part of your journey.
Michael
Posted 10/19/2017 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
When to start HT is always a tough decision. I think another data point in 3 months is a good idea in order to arrive at a valid PSADT. A well-respected oncologist here told me she likes to start patients on ADT as soon as PSADT is less than 9 months.
Posted 10/19/2017 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Bronson,
Glad to see you back -- also sorry to see you back. My MO tells me he is more inclined to make decisions based on doubling time than on absolute numbers. Also that he is less persuaded by doubling times that are under 1.0. Mine are above 1.0 but he's still inclined to hold his fire at least until I see him again in Feb.
Posted 10/19/2017 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Bronson.
I'm sorry that your period of calm may be coming to an end, but as the others have said, there are a lot of treatments available now that were not out there a while ago.

I am NO expert, so feel free to ignore me (lots of others do just that. . . ), but I have to ask -- You indicate that you pressed for your most recent PSA test at 3 months. Was that test done by the same lab that did the previous few tests? If not, I would wonder if some lab-to-lab differences may be driving your marked increase, and I might either disregard the result or test again to validate. If the tests are done in the same lab, the same validation question remains, but I might wait the 3 more months to see.
Posted 10/20/2017 10:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all..
thank you for your kind words and support.
I learned long ago that different labs get different results.
Another problem is the same lab may change their procedure range (rounding up and down of numbers) and instruments themselves.
As noted below - the same lab has changed their methodology.
Will keep you informed of my journey.
Hugs,
Tatt2man ( Bronson)
....................
....................
JULY 2016
Prostate Specific Antigen
<0.010 < 4.0 ug/L
Total PSA is assayed using Roche Cobas.

…………….
DECEMBER 2016
Prostate Specific Antigen
0.009 <4.0 ug/L
Methodology: Abbott Architect immunoassay.

………………..
JULY 2017
Prostate Specific Antigen
0.085 <4.0 ug/L
Methodology: Abbott Architect immunoassay.

………………….
OCTOBER 2017
Prostate Specific Antigen
0.28 <4.0 ug/L
Methodology: Abbott Architect immunoassay.
...........................
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