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PSA after RP

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Posted 11/30/2017 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
HI there. I'm Spanish so my English might not be good enough sometimes, I am sorry.

My husband had RP in April 2017.

Gleason 3-4= 7 Negative margins, no nods, etc etc. All clear outside the prostate.

His PSA after six weeks since RP was 0.04.

The uro said it was ok, no treatment needed. He also mentioned that 0.04 means undetectable PSA, but after reading here about ultrasensitive assays and all that stuff, I am confused.

Today, five months after, he has got the new control PSA test results and we can see it has come up to 0.05.

Allthough the uro said "don't panic if your PSA is a bit higher next time", it has been an upset and I can't help thinking something is going badly.

Some help and information woould be really appreciated and comforting.

Thaks in advance .
Lola
Posted 11/30/2017 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
"Undetectable" depends on the sensitivity of the PSA test that was performed. It's reported as "<" (less than) the lowest value that the test can reliably detect. If the report came back as "0.04" -- not "<0.04" -- the PSA was detectable.
The second test was done at the same lab, right?
Others more knowledgeable than I will comment, I'm sure, on the meaning of such a small rise over a few months, and whether it's so small as to be within the test's margin of error or possibly just unremarkable natural variation in PSA from day to day. But given your husband's pathology, it sure doesn't seem like cause to panic.
Posted 11/30/2017 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW.

That's not much of a change, and still very little PSA. The only thing you can do is to wait for the next test and see. It might level out. I'd listen to the URO, for now there isn't anything you would do about this.

The result could be better, but you're fine for now. If the PSA keeps going up, then your husband might need a little radiation treatment. I doubt it would be any worse than that.

You're going to be fine,
Andrew
Posted 11/30/2017 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Prostate Cancer is slow growing and there are other treatments like salvage radiation treatment (SRT) that gives you another good chance (if needed) of total cure. You and the Doctor will have time to react to a continual rise in PSA, but its very hard to wait between those tests or waiting for the doctor etc. Hang in there.
Posted 11/30/2017 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks to the three of you for responding so fast.
I feel better now.
We are seing the uro in a few days. I'll post later.

Best wishes,

Lola.
Posted 11/30/2017 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
I forgot to say that the PSA test was not an ultrasensitive one. And yes, always the same lab.
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