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Recent PSA test

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User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 17:47

Hi, I’m a 40 year old black man and I’ve recently had a PSA test which came back at 1.5, which my GP alleged is slightly elevated (the top end of the range is 1.4). I’m not sure what unit this has been measured in, and my concern is whether this is abnormal for my age and what i should do about it? 


 


Thanks. 

User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 18:38
Hi Lee,

If your GP has the slightest concern he'll refer you to a urologist for further tests. Was this mentioned?

Best wishes,

Chris
User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 21:14

Urgency was the only symptom I had.  Although my GP gave me a leaflet on Over Active Bladder which has similar symptoms.  The Urologist also said urgency is often unrelated.   


It's caused by the brain getting a signal it needs to empty the bladder.  The advice is to train it otherwise.


There are unusual cases don't generate high psa.


All any of us can do is wait for test results although if I'd had a psa of 1.5 I'd be thinking on the positive side.  Even with a psa of 9.9 I was thinking that stats say there's a good chance it's not a tumour.  Some people have a psa of 200.

User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 22:41

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


I appreciate all these responses from people who are or have experienced prostate cancer.


I can't imagine the worry you must feel to get a reading at 9.9!



 


Try being the man that joined here with a PSA of 13,000. The highest our urologist has ever seen was 160,000


The thing about PSA is that it can indicate that further assessment is needed; it cannot be relied upon to judge how much cancer a man might have or how advanced it might be. Coupled with your symptoms, it is right that your GP considers referring you if the next test is also higher than he thinks it should be. It may not be cancer but frequent urination can wear you out if not resolved. 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 18:38
Hi Lee,

If your GP has the slightest concern he'll refer you to a urologist for further tests. Was this mentioned?

Best wishes,

Chris
User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 18:55
Welcome Lee.

Chris is right. If the GP was concerned he would have referred you to a Urologist. If the GP wasn't concerned then I wouldn't worry about it too much. An elevated PSA is not a diagnosis of anything, but it's easy to start panicking and become all anxious about it. If it's keeping you awake at night then you should go back to your GP to express your concerns.

All the best, Mark.
User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 19:46

Lee


Agree with previous posts, in answer to your question it is ng/ml. Or nano grams of PSA per millilitre of blood. 


"A gram is pretty small. A nanogram is a billionth of a gram so it is astronomically tiny. ... The mass of a grain of salt is approximately 58,500 nanograms."


Thanks Chris

User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 23:09

Thanks Chris.


I should have elaborated. My GP has offered a referral to a urologist, but wants to do a second PSA in two weeks to check if there’s been a change. 


The GP also did a physical exam and found my prostate to be normal. 


I guess I'm concerned as I don't know how to interpret the readings? 

User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 23:12

Thanks for the input. 

User
Posted 23 Mar 2019 at 23:15

Thanks  - that certainly gives it some perspective! 

User
Posted 24 Mar 2019 at 01:22

As you mentioned that you are a black man I presume you are aware that you are more prone to prostate cancer than white men. I don’t think a PSA of 1.5 at age 40 is ‘elevated’, and alarm bells really only start ringing when it is over 4.


Now that you have that reading you can keep track of it with successive, say annual, or every three year, PSA blood tests, and what you need to look out for is any increases in that base-line figure. Your doctor is doing the right thing, but a further test in three months would be much more appropriate than a fortnight.


What made you visit the GP in the first place, and why did you have your PSA tested?


Prostate cancer is unlikely, but not impossible, at your age anyway.


Best of luck.


Cheers, John.

Edited by member 24 Mar 2019 at 06:15  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 24 Mar 2019 at 08:37

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


Hi, I’m a 40 year old black man and I’ve recently had a PSA test which came back at 1.5, which my GP alleged is slightly elevated (the top end of the range is 1.4). I’m not sure what unit this has been measured in, and my concern is whether this is abnormal for my age and what i should do about it? 


Thanks. 



 


Morning Leee,


Sorry that you are here, but it's a good place for support.  In response to your points:


If your GP suggests it's elevated that is because they, as a medical professional think it is elevated.  They have then referred you for the next opinion as a precaution.  All good.


Generally, acceptable or "normal" PSA levels have ranges for patient ages, and then individuals may have their own ranges within those normals.  In addition certain activity can spike a PSA result, for example if you had an orgasm within about 24 hours before the test, ridden a bike or motorbike, received a blow to the groin area.   A series of your PSA results will indicate your "normal".  As an example of age range normal anomaly, a friend of min e is 66 with a PSA of 2, age range normal 0 - 6.5, unfortunately he has PCa.


The fact that they want to do second PSA test is good, did they mention abstaining from activity that could spike the result?


Your prostate was found to feel normal, that is also a good sign.


What should you do about it?  Probably nothing more for now.  Maybe download the toolkit from this site.?  And avoid Dr Google. 


Please keep the site updated with future results as fully as you can and feel able to.


atb 


dave


 


 


 

All we can do - is do all that we can.


So, do all you can to help yourself, then make the best of your time. :-)


I am the statistic.

User
Posted 24 Mar 2019 at 10:03

Hi Lee,


I was 70 when my doctor wanted to look further into my PSA of 2.19 as they had found microscopic traces of blood in my urine and i tested positive for PC.You may find its a false alarm but better to have it checked out.


Good luck John.

User
Posted 24 Mar 2019 at 19:17

The size of your prostate effects the psa level as well. A normal one is about 25cc.   


Psa 1.5 seems very low compared to the vast majority on here although most have got the illness. Mine was 9.9.    10 is regarded as a border into a higher risk case. It can change very slowly or faster, doubling speed often indicates seriousness. It can take several months/ a year to double.


Over treatment is something that 2 doctors told me to be careful of.   Once you get on the testing treadmill it can be hard to get it in perspective and step off.  As said previously black men are more susceptible which should also be a consideration.


There's plenty of reading about the above and it doesn't always say the same.


All the best Peter

User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 19:58

Thanks for the input.


I've seen a marked increase in the amount of times I need to urinate over the last year, especially during the night, coupled with an urgency I didn't have before, and factor in my genetic predisposition, I began to worry. 


It's likely I may have an enlarged prostate, which I believe is entirely possible?

User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 20:02

Thanks Dave.


 


Yes, the G.P advised no sex or masturbation 48 hours prior to the next PSA test, which he said can skew the results.


 


I've think i'll stay on here for discussion around prostate issues. There's so much 'information' online, and most of it just causes more angst.

User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 20:05

I appreciate all these responses from people who are or have experienced prostate cancer.


I can't imagine the worry you must feel to get a reading at 9.9!

User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 21:14

Urgency was the only symptom I had.  Although my GP gave me a leaflet on Over Active Bladder which has similar symptoms.  The Urologist also said urgency is often unrelated.   


It's caused by the brain getting a signal it needs to empty the bladder.  The advice is to train it otherwise.


There are unusual cases don't generate high psa.


All any of us can do is wait for test results although if I'd had a psa of 1.5 I'd be thinking on the positive side.  Even with a psa of 9.9 I was thinking that stats say there's a good chance it's not a tumour.  Some people have a psa of 200.

User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 21:27

There are some things which can cause a false raised PSA, which you want to avoid before the next test.


Cycling, and ejaculation should be avoided at least the day before (and 3 days if you can).


DRE (Digital Rectal Examination, which is what your GP will have done) should not be done before a PSA test. When having both, the blood for PSA test must be taken before the DRE is performed.

User
Posted 25 Mar 2019 at 22:41

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


I appreciate all these responses from people who are or have experienced prostate cancer.


I can't imagine the worry you must feel to get a reading at 9.9!



 


Try being the man that joined here with a PSA of 13,000. The highest our urologist has ever seen was 160,000


The thing about PSA is that it can indicate that further assessment is needed; it cannot be relied upon to judge how much cancer a man might have or how advanced it might be. Coupled with your symptoms, it is right that your GP considers referring you if the next test is also higher than he thinks it should be. It may not be cancer but frequent urination can wear you out if not resolved. 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 28 Mar 2019 at 00:13

Yes, the G.P advised against sex and cycling 48 hours prior to the test

 
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