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SLIGHT PSA RISE

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Posted 8/10/2012 10:50 PM (GMT 0)

I had Prostate cancer surgery 13 years ago (2000) and everything was going fine, Psa of .1 until January 2011 when it came back as .2.  My Doctor's PA suggested tests every six months so in July of 02/11 I did another test and it was back to .1.  That was great but then in Jan. 2012 I had the next on and it was .2.  I had the next on last Tuesday 08/07/2013 and it came back as .2.   I called the Physician Asst. and he said he was going to make me an appt with the Dr. to discuss this.  I am really concerned.  Has anyone else had this up and down reading? 

Posted 8/10/2012 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

Wow, so you are 13 years out, and just now showing possible signs of recurrance. That was a long, long run not to have any issues. Don't blame you for your concern. If it were me, I would wait another 3 months, re-test, and if it shows any other signs of an increase, meaning >.20, it might be time to sit down and talk about a possible secondary treatment option. It's possible, if you do have reccurance, that salvage radiation might help knock any possible recurrance. Or, if there is a confirmed rise, take it to a good oncologist, and let the doctor factor in your case and make any possible reccomendation.

I am sure the shock, is to go for so long without any reccurance, then to have this pop up after all these years. By now, I would assumed you thought you were cured.

Good luck, and don't let it consume you, and see what happens next. Hopefully it might just be a blip, and it could go back down again, but if it doesn't, you have plenty of time to view any possible options.

Stay in touch and let us know how it goes.

david in sc
Posted 8/10/2012 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
I know this is a shock, but do not panic, as David said that is a very long long time for an increase, if indeed it is truly an increase....so if the cancer has recurred it is very slow growing...may not need to treat for years. I would retest in 3 months and see what is happening. I would not be rushed in anything just yet. Tighten up your diet, get plenty of exercise, perhaps to pomergranite extract caps.
Posted 8/10/2012 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the encouragement guys and for the advice.

RLF
Posted 8/11/2012 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
rlf, for the sake of comparisom, you had surgery 13 years ago, and may have recurrance. i had my surgery, and within 9 months i had confirmed recurrance. a lot of difference there.

david
Posted 8/11/2012 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi RLF,I HOPE IT IS A LAB MISTAKE AND YOU JUST DO FINE.

I AM CANCER FREE FOR SEVEN YEARS,BUT PC IS A BAD DREAM FROM WHICH WE WILL NEVER WAKE UP.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.

Post Edited (gold horse) : 8/11/2012 10:00:30 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/11/2012 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
I would ask, just for the record, if the doctor had changed labs (mine has more than once because of the insurance company demands), or if the lab had new / updated equipment, and if they changed reporting standards.

All this because of the .1 > .2 swings. Is it really a .1 increase, or are they testing at a more precise level and rounding? We've seen one member whose lab does ultrasensitive but rounds it because of his medical care center's reporting rules. So 0.10 > 0.14 is .1, and 0.15 > 0.19 is .2 - in his case a .01 change would show up very abruptly but mean virtually nothing.

I would watch it, perhaps get an ultra-sensitive just to compare, but I would hold off the panic button unless it started doubling.

PCa seems to be the gift that keeps on giving.

 

Posted 8/11/2012 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Like 142, I was a bit puzzled by the bouncing between 0.2 and 0.1 which are really far apart by current standards of measurement accuracy. If the lab is not able to offer better accuracy, then I would change the lab (I did just that myself a couple of years ago).

I am no doctor, but I think the crucial issue is whether the numbers keep increasing, ie whether there is some kind of upwards trend and, if so, how steep it is. If it took you 13 years to get up to 0.2, you may die of old age before you hit even the single digits.
Posted 8/11/2012 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
You seem to have a PSA bouncing from .1 to .2 after many years. If I may ask, how old are you now? I would think that a PSA retest and a talk with an oncologist is in order.
Posted 8/11/2012 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
I am 65 years of age. The last two tests that showed .2 where from two different labs, the last test I had (08/07/2012)was from my family Dr. They use two different labs, the urologist uses Quest Labs and the Family Dr. uses Lab Corp.
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