Posted 12/12/2018 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
My PSA has zigzagged slowly upward for many months. In October, it jumped up more than prior, from 0.7 to 1.0. Of course this is a low value, but we watch both the value and the pattern. Today, it measured 0.9! I'd be happier if it was lower, but this is provisionally encouraging.
It was not supposed to be checked until January. But, I figured if it was in fact higher again, that any scans required would cost me less if done in this insurance calendar year. So, we checked it today.
For over a year, 3/2017 to 7/2018, the PSA was fairly steady, at 0.7 +/- 0.1, quarter after quarter, every 3 months. But in October 2018 its jump to 1.0 was unexpected, and gave me a little concern.
Enjoying math as i do, I played around with a similar zig-zag trend going forward to see what the underlying doubling rate might be. As it turns out, assuming the pattern continues in a similar manner, the doubling time is almost 5 years. I'll be happy to let it ride at that rate, and wouldn't consider any further treatment unless that somehow really kicked up. It looks evident that there is a very slow rise, but it's so slow it's not going to matter.
It's a good day!