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Posted 2/17/2016 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Visited my urologist today for 90 day checkup.

PSA has gone from .03 to .06 in the past 90 days. I am going to see radiation oncologist on the 29th to put a game plan in place. Urologist said he wanted me to have another PSA in 90 days and start treatment if it's at .12 He left the game plan up to me as to whether or not I wanted to start earlier. We have a family outing in May and I'd really like to wait until after that to start the regimen. The other option would be to start now so I would be finished by then. Any opinions on waiting until it hits .12??

Thanks to all for being so supportive on this forum.
Posted 2/17/2016 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
In your place, I'd be talking to the RO now. Even if you decided now to do SRT, it could be a few weeks to get everything scheduled and planned. Likely wait till June wouldn't be a big deal. It would give you time for one more PSA to confirm the speed of the rise and give you time to select your RO and treatment center.

Not sure I'd wait till 1.2 to start thinking and talking to ROs.
Andrew
Posted 2/17/2016 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
You mean 0.12 (and not 1.2) when to start SRT?
Posted 2/17/2016 10:23 PM (GMT 0)
My PSA was .05 last Oct and this January its .07. I have met with the oncologist and putting the arrangements in place in the event that my PSA rises on the next test in April. If so, then its time.
Posted 2/17/2016 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
Mpac, if you've decided to go forth with SRT, get it done sooner than later. Waiting till .12 may or may not have affect the outcome. But if you wait, and SRT fails, you don't want to look back with regret for not doing it sooner. Just my take.
Posted 2/17/2016 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
Gemlin: My bad-it's .12, not 1.2. It's been corrected.
Posted 2/18/2016 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hello
When my Psa reached .06 my urologist and RO pulled the trigger on SRT. I had35 sessions, no real issues. The last two test have been <.006. I could not be more pleased. Time for wise decision making,
Stay engaged.
Posted 2/18/2016 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
Another factor to consider is your level of continence.

If you are to any degree incontinent, then it is unlikely to ever get any better once you start RT. In fact in my case, I was 90% ok, but soon after RT, I reverted to full incontinence.

If uou can wait until you are fully continent, then so much the better. Of course that has to be weighed against the prospect of getting a full "cure". A real dillema.

Good luck,

Chas
Posted 2/18/2016 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
If I remember, waiting until 0.2 was the normal threshold for salvage radiation and waiting until then resulted in only a 1 or 2 percent chance of biological failure later down the road.
Posted 2/19/2016 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
I hope your recollection of the .2 is correct. We have had this family outing planned for months and I really don't want to deal with the incontinence issue during a 5 hour car ride. Would really like to wait until after the trip

I'm about 90% continent now (stress incontinence usually if I cough).

My thanks to all for your input!!
Posted 2/20/2016 5:33 AM (GMT 0)
The .2 number is considered by some as outdated and reduces your success rate.
Posted 2/21/2016 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
And it is also impossible to determine if the rise is due to benign leftover tissue but the radiation may be useless but you never know.
Posted 2/21/2016 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
the sooner the better.
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