PSA RISE AFTER A RALP - Surgery (prostatectomy / RP)

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User

Posted 01 Jun 2017 at 20:55

I am 77 yrs old. I was diagnosed with PCa in 2005.

Chose watchful waiting for 3 years, and had RALP in 2008. PSA 20 & gleason 7, upgraded t0 9 after the op.

The PSA remained < 0.03 for over 8 years. It has now reared its ugly head and the latest reading is 0.39, having risen form 0.03 in 1 year.

The Jury seems to be at odds at what my next step would/ought to be.

I welcome any suggestions from like-minded individuals.

Kind regards

Rod

User

Posted 01 Jun 2017 at 22:30

Hi Rod,

Welcome to this forum but sorry for the reason that brings you here.

From what you say can we assume there was one or more intermediate PSA tests in the year when it went from 0.03 to 0.39 and if so could you say when these we taken and give the figures so the rate of rise can be seen? (If there was no intermediate tests I would want another done now to check for an error).

What did your consultant say about it? Did he/she suggest you have more regular PSA tests and suggest if PSA reaches a certain figure that perhaps a scan(s) be done and or HT or another treatment then be offered? If you were not happy with what is suggested you could seek a further opinion. However, at present the source of your PSA has not been identified and may not show up on a scan until it rises further. Some types of cancer can spread with only a small rise in PSA. Bad luck if this applies in your case.

Best advice from professionals who have all your histology and scans.

Barry

User

Posted 02 Jun 2017 at 00:21

Hi Rod, my dad's PSA started to rise again 13 years after RP. He now sees the urologist once a year and has gone back to 3 monthly tests but he has decided not to have any treatment for the time being - he doesn't fancy radiotherapy and because he is still very active in the local community (including quite physical voluntary work) he is concerned that the side effects of hormones would slow him down. However, his PSA is climbing much slower than yours appears to be - his uro put the numbers into a nomogram and predicted that on the current rate of rise, it will take about 20 years to kill him. As dad is 80 he said that he would take that!

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

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