6 month psa on rise

My 6 month PSA is very slightly above 0.00 but it has risen to 0.03. I see my Dr on Dec 8th so I have to wait awhile. I am nervous since it should be 0.00. Does anybody have any info on this slight raise? should it be a concern? Thanks guys it has been awhile but I just need some reassuring
Thanks
Tim

Tim, anything under .10 is considered a zero. Your .03 isn't positively a true rise, its within the tolerance of the testing lab, and can vary that much on a day to day basis for any numbrer of reasons.

That's why a rise isn't really consider a rise until you have had 3 in a row with your PSA.

Looks like you are getting tested every 3 months, so I would say wait and see what the next one brings.

Good luck

My Dr told me that all he cares about is that its under .10. Variations in the testing can result in scores deviation very easily

The same day that blood is drawn if sent to 2 diff labs can get readings of .03 at one and a .05 at another, sometimes an even bigger disparity is possible

If you are getting data to the “hundredths” place, then you are getting the “ultra-sensitive” PSA test done.   Like so many things, there is both an upside and a downside to the “ultra-sensitive” PSA test.   For low risk cases ( PSA under 10 ng/mL, Gleason 3+3 or 3+4), most doctors do not prescribe the ultra-sensitive PSA test after RP simply because there is such a low probability of PC recurrence.   So, I believe the downside of ultra-sensitive PSA testing occurs because a little of the known  day-to-day variation at the ultra-sensitive levels can cause some un-needed anxiety...you might be experiencing some of that now.   The upside occurs for RP patients who do have a biochemical recurrence; which occurs mostly from men who didn’t start out with such low risk stats.   As you may know, roughly 30% of RP patients end up having to get follow-up secondary treatment, with radiation treatment being the most common (and typically very successful in treating the recurring PC).   “Biochemical recurrence” is sometimes defined at different levels, but most doctors us 0.2 ng/mL (others use 0.3, I’ve also read of 0.5).   Those who started out with a more intermediate risk and do experience a recurrence will benefit by getting an advanced “heads-up” notice when their ultra-sensitive PSA result starts trending upward.   So, t he upside benefit is because RT is most effective when done early; the earlier the better …so the ultra-sensitive test definitely has it’s place and has some advantages.     By the way, you wrote:  " I am nervous since it should be 0.00. "  You should be aware that after RP nobody’s PSA was never really “zero”, but on most tests, when it is very low, it is below the detection limits of the test .   The more common test has a lower limit of 0.1 ng/mL (the ultra-sensitive test has an extra decimal of accuracy).  Were your nerves spared in RP, for example?   If so, they are going to be the greatest source (albeit a small source) of PSA in your bloodstream for the rest of your life…but they should produce a relatively small but steady amount of PSA .   The notion of a “zero club” is a bit of a misnomer .   At less than 0.1ng/mL, your results are below standard detectible limits…coupled with your low risk starting point, your results are outstanding!      

Tim,

What Casey has said is correct. There is no such thing as 0 PSA and it should not really be reported as such. 2nd generation detection equipment has a absolute lowest detection limit of 0.03 ng/mL. If PSA is not detected using this equipment it should in truth be reported as <0.03 (less than 0.03) meaning it is so low as to be undetectable by their equipment. If the lab uses  Generation 3 equipment (such as the Immulite 2000) then its absolute lowest detection limit is 0.003 ng/mL and if PSA is not detected the result should say <0.003. But at these minute levels the test equipment will give different results on the same blood sample (with detection below 0.01, multiple testing on the same sample can and does give results of .003 or .004 or.005). For this reason many labs even when using Gen 3 equipment will report with accuracy only to 2 decimal places i.e. no matter the actual 3 decimal reading they will state the result is <0.01 ng/mL. The trick with the ultrasensitive test as an early marker is to use it to watch for a definite trend even at low levels. A trend that went from  0.005 then to 0.009 followed by 0.01 then .012, to me says PSA is rising slowly and I would then begin to PLAN a course of action. If it goes up and then down or stays put then ignore the slight variations.

Bill

As everyone has said .04 is a ZERO. You have good pathology with a Gleason 6 and the odds are very high that all the PC is gone. That said, welcome to the PSA test roller coaster. I proudly said that I wasn't worried about my 6 months test, but when they phoned with the 0.0 result I realized that I had spent the last three days holding my breath!