My dear friend just had his psa checked, 18 ??

Hi Folks.. as bad as having to participate because of my own situation, a dear friend just confided in me that he had his first psa test done 2 weeks ago. 18. He is otherwise a very healthy 51 year old.

His primary did an exam, and felt either a lump or growth.

What do we think?

I understand he went to his primary, had his 1st psa test, it was 18. His primary referred him to a uro, but had him take a 2nd blood test for that uro appt, also 18. So the 18 sounds like a correct #.

So the blood test, the digital exam, then 2nd blood test.. then uro.. to biopsy scheduled this week.

Bob, What a shocking PSA. You can never assume. UTI can bump it up like that but so can the big C. Do keep us posted as to his progress. Have him get as educated as possible while finding out what is going on.

Cajun Jeff

TC-LasVegas said...
Bob,
I think it brings back memories...

He needs to get with the urologist and have the plumbing checked for UTI and such before a biopsy. Hopefully he'll be luckier than I was...

Tony

 

How great would it be that anti-biotics would drop that sucker to .1 or less? Prayer coming for that result.

Trep,
It would be even great if his PSA dropped below ten. My PSA up in that vicinity was indication that I had a more severe case, and the surgery proved it. I know he has a positive DRE already so it is unlikely that he does not have some sort of issue. But he should be on antibiotics first then a retest followed by biopsy if the antibiotic doesn't help enough..

At least that is a pretty standard protocol around here...

Tony

TC,

Can you have a DRE that has lumps and still a healthy prostate? I mean are all prostates created the same?

I have looked up some of your work BTW and all I can say is WOW!

Del

@F8,
Typically you may be right. But if that PSA is elevated, a positive biopsy might still get an overreaction if the true PSA is say 5. Not all lumps are cancerous...

@ Trep,
Yup, like I just said to F8, sometimes lumps on a prostate are benign. And as I understand it an infection can indeed harden a prostate or a portion of it. Palpability is just one of the tests. But more information may be attainable than the PSA such as PSA velocity.

Guys it is standard protocol to check for infection before a biopsy. It would be controversial to skip that step in diagnosing a patient...

Tony

F8,
Of course the odds of 50% are worth checking for infection. Why put a man through biopsy when it might be unnecessary?

But that stated, your doctor did the right job in getting you diagnosed.

But there is another reason to check for infections ~ they can get very exacerbated by a biopsy. Some guys can end up hospitalized when poking through with a needle and the infection get's worse. In fact, when some doctors wait and see that they can confirm an infection they will hold off on a biopsy until the infection heals...

At least that is how it was explained to me.

Tony

Post Edited (TC-LasVegas) : 3/7/2011 6:13:10 PM (GMT-7)

Another reason to first treat a possible UTI is that a biopsy performed on an infected gland can lead to extraordinarily bad side effects of what should be a reasonable office procedure. The anti-biotic is good medicine.