PSA bounce?? Should i be concerned?

HI. I finished up IMRT last May 2014. I originally decided on IMRT after I had a 6+6 Gleason score with a 4.1 PSA. Two months after radiation my PSA dropped to 0.7 from the high of 4.1 prior to the IMRT. In January 2015 another PSA was taken for my 6 month check up and the doctor told me they would call if anything seemed abnormal. I never heard from them so I figured my PSA went down from the PSA reading of 0.7 so I never bothered to call about it. Well now my 1 year check up is coming up next week and the nurse called to confirm and I asked her what my 6 month PSA reading was and she said it jumped to 1.3 from 0.7. Should I be concerned?? I have to have PSA blood work tomorrow for next weeks 1 year after IMRT visit. I guess this is what we have to live with. I have to admit i'm a bit concerned, but im hoping its just PSA bounce and that the cancer didn't come back. I'm 52 years old and was diagnosed with the 6 Gleason score when I was 50. I feel pretty good and everything is working normally. Was just wondering if anyone else experienced anything similar?? Thanks for being there. John

John,
Hang in there, too early to tell. It is a known phenomena to have a bounce a year or two after radiation treatment.
Kind of a last gasp by PCa as the cells die. I hope that is the case for you.
Regards,
Kris

Thanks everyone for the great info and kind words. the only thing that freaks me out a bit is how fast the bounce occurred. it was only about 6 or 7 months after the last IMRT treatment. The first psa test post radiation was taken right after treatment and thats the one that measured 0.7. from what i'm reading bounce doesn't usually take place, if it does at all, until at least 1 year after treament and usually 18 months after the last treatment. oh well time will tell i suppose. thanks again, john

Learn to think of bounces as good things. They probably represent lots of prostate cancer cells dying off, releasing their PSA.

- Allen

I agree with Allen. Bounces are good things. Long term results appear to be improved with patients that have bounces.

thanks
Paul

Gleason 3+4; 5/16 positive cores; average volume 30%; PSA prior to tx 4.8
TX-IMRT + brachytherapy; IMRT Nov. 2011; Brachytherapy Feb. 2012
PSA April 2012--3.6
PSA May 2012--2.5
PSA Aug 2012--2.2
PSA Nov 2012--2.9
PSA Feb 2013--2.8
PSA May 2013--2.1
PSA Aug 2013--2.3
PSA Nov 2013--2.5
PSA May 2014--1.1
PSA Dec 2014--0.8
PSA Jun 2015--0.5

Hi John, Had my Prostate removed in Jan 2011, 3 1/2 yrs later i had a bounce to 1.1 from .17, my pre op PSA was 4.9 at 69 yrs old, prostate cancer was at 6%, had one lymp node removed. Had a MRI and Bone scan last week, all negative, had one small spot on hip they called arthritis, having a Cat scan Wed to confirm it. My double time was 2 yrs. Good luck to you, there are numbers a lot higher than yours......