Posted 1/27/2021 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
The theoretical discussions we've been having on at least one thread here for the past few days, about whether men reaching age 75 need to keep on with the regular PSA test, annual in my case, just became an entirely practical, not theoretical, question for me.
Now that I am actually at the "target" age of 75, and, at least in the eyes of some authorities, at the age for choosing whether or not to continue with the test, what do I do now?
Well, from what I have read, it seems to me the essence of my decision, based on existing standards and my reading of them, would depend on the state of my overall health: if it's discouraging or even poor, then I have the option of skipping the test from now on; but if it's good overall, I should probably keep on with it.
Actually, my health really is pretty good for my age. At my last annual physical (last summer) my family physician said I was in "good shape." Triglycerides up little, and a few other minor things, but otherwise heart and other systems "very good" for my age.
It's true that I do have to take Omeprazole for a long-time and ongoing esophageal condition, and probably will be on that med for life, but other than that I'm more or less good to go.
So, standards-wise, it looks like I should keep on getting the PSA test. And you know what? That's exactly what I'm going to do.
But not only because some standard says I should. There's another reason why I will be doing so that my urologist mentioned to me at my last annual October appointment with him. Because, I suspect, he himself noted that I was approaching 75 and he wanted to point something out to me, and something not mentioned here so far.
He said he was 99% certain that the G6 PCa I had and was treated for with RT nine years ago was "dead," and no longer a concern. But then he added that if PCa was ever to recur in me, especially as I continued to age, then "all bets were off" as to what that future PCa would be and do, as it would be an entirely new cancer. It might be a G7 or G8 next time, not a G6, and my increasing age might mean my resistance to it would be weaker.
Yes, this possibility is somewhat implied in the recommendation that healthy men 75 or older keep on with testing, but having one's uro spell it out so specifically as he did at that appointment does bring the matter more into focus: PCa the next time could be an entirely different, and more serious, ball game.
So continuing with the annual PSA test makes sense in my case, he said, as it might end up serving as an important early warning system if the beast was attempting a come-back.
Add to that the fact that actually turning 75 means that certain possibilities, up until now only that, may indeed become realities now, and hypothetical (read future) decisions that could be put off before, have now turned into real ones, requiring current attention.
That does indeed have an impact on one's perspective.