PSA rise after radiotherapy and zoladex

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User

Posted 09 Mar 2015 at 16:50

My husband is 12 months post radiotherapy and on Zoladex implants.

His PSA after 6 months was0.1 and he has just had his second test which came back as 0.3

What does this mean? Are the readings what would be expected or should we worry ?

Hospital says just carry on until Zoladex finishes after 2 years and see what happens. Words of wisdom from forum members would be very welcome.

Thanks 20cwmdu

User

Posted 09 Mar 2015 at 18:19

Hi 20cwmdu,
It rather depends on whether he was put on a curative treatment path and what the next couple of PSA tests come back as. One random test is not a reliable indicator and although the ideal is to stay fairly level, your OH still has a prostate so he is unlikely to get down to the really low figures that you see in men who have had surgery.

Have a look at Ray's profile - he has been managing a fluctuating PSA for many years without any indication that the treatment failed. Other than that, I think you just have to be patient and develop nerves of steel because it is too early to know he is cured but also too early to think it has all gone wrong!

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

User

Posted 09 Mar 2015 at 18:43

Thanks Lyn,
How do we know whether he was put on a curative path?
The cancer although Gleason 9 was contained within the prostate so we assumed it was a curative attempt.
I got the figures wrong, it was 0,01 to 0.03 if this makes a difference

User

Posted 09 Mar 2015 at 19:57

I'm sure Lyn will answer but if the Pca was determined to be contained in the prostate then it is likely that they are looking at curative treatment. However, I'm not a medic and just talking though experience.

0.01 and 0.03 are significantly different to 0.1 and 0.3. At the former levels there can be fluctuation's such as this. His PSA has actually reached the levels of a lot of men who have had their prostate removed including myself.

As Lyn says the follow up PSA tests will give a better indication of what is happening. Are they going to test in three months or six?

Bri

User

Posted 09 Mar 2015 at 23:55

20c, does it make a difference ..... are you kidding???? Scores like that are a dream come true - the only thing you should be worrying about right now is how best to celebrate.

Curative - usually 37 sessions or thereabouts
Control - often between 1 and 5 sessions.

Your OH was almost certainly put onto a curative path, judging from his scores. Control RT is reserved for pain management or to slow down growth in men with advanced disease and that clearly does not apply to you.

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

User

Posted 10 Mar 2015 at 17:08

My oncol said that 0.01 is classified as "undetectable" which means the PCa is in remission. I was advised that the medics would only intervene with additional treatment if PSA rises above 2.0.

My PSA has been at 0.01 since the end of a 37 treatment course of RT last May. It's just about a year since I started RT, but seems like years!

Good luck.

Viv

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