Chronic Prostatitis Link To Cancer? - Prostatitis

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User

Posted 15 Sep 2017 at 21:15

I developed prostate problems at about age 20 and have been diagnosed with Chronic Prostatitis several years ago. I had SRS at age 45 and I am now 61. I have experienced episodes on and off for 40 years. Lately, it has become more frequent and the symptoms a bit more pronounced. I get a digit exam once a year and other than it being swollen and tender, my prostate is smooth. My PSA is slightly elevated but not real high. I worry about developing cancer but tye link hetween prostatitis and developing cancer is not really known andvtge fact that I am a post op trans woman complicates things even more. My doctors tell me there is not much tgey can do about my prostatitis, but I really worry about developing cancer.

User

Posted 15 Sep 2017 at 22:38

Hi Laura,
when you say 'slightly elevated', how elevated is that?

Having persistent prostatitis may not impact on developing PCa but there is some research that suggests the meds that you take as a trans woman may make PCa more likely (other research disputes this though) and / or leads to later diagnosis. The main reason for late diagnosis is that the hormones you take can falsely lower the PSA (to about half its true value)

Personally, I don't think that an annual DRE is good enough, especially if the symptoms are becoming more frequent and more pronounced. You should ask for a referral to a urologist that is knowledgeable about trans prostate health to discuss whether you should have a biopsy and / or an MRI scan.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 16 Sep 2017 at 00:13

The last PSA I had in 2009 was 0.15 I have not had one since. Ladt year my prostate exame did not find an concerned other than the swelling. This year I have more occurances of symptoms which concerns me, but I can not find any doctors that have experience with trans women.

User

Posted 16 Sep 2017 at 01:49

You haven't had a PSA test for 8 years! You have no idea whether your PSA is now low, slightly elevated or sky high (although I am not sure why you thought it was slightly elevated - 0.15 was a very healthy reading at the time)!

I suggest your starting point is to request a PSA test and ask your doctor whether s/he is aware that the hormones you take (assuming you are on HT) can make the PSA reading appear lower than it actually is. Don't arrange to have your PSA test within 2 weeks after a DRE as that can also affect the result.

Are you in the UK?

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 18 Sep 2017 at 14:32

I am on a Estradiol patch (0.1 mg/day) twice weekly. I was planning on having my PSA first before going in for my digital. I thought it was slightly elevated because on the test result it said < 0.1 so I assumed that 0.15 was slightly elevated. I am located in the US. Thank you for your help.

User

Posted 18 Sep 2017 at 17:47

<0.1 means 'less than 0.1' - for your age (if you were not taking oestrogen) normal would be around or below 4.0

So your PSA is very low but your doctor may not have considered the effect that your meds might have. I would still ask for a scan to put your mind at rest.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

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