My latest psa test

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User

Posted 25 Aug 2020 at 16:59

Hello everyone,

As I live in France, I struggle to have detailed conversations with my GP. My limited french doesn't include medical terms unfortunately. I am 67 years old.

My psa was 11.08 six months ago, and this was my first test in France. Due to Covid concerns, I have only just had a second psa test, and the result was 7.6

Can anyone explain to me what this might mean?.

After the first test I had an ultra sound and was told my prostate was only moderately enlarged. I have no symptoms.

User

Posted 25 Aug 2020 at 17:53

David,

PSA can fluctuate due to prostate cancer, but not usually by that amount. That might suggest some other cause for at least some of the PSA, but doesn't rule out prostate cancer as being partially responsible.

Some other things which can raise PSA would be urinary tract infection, prostatitis, physical disturbance (digital rectal exam, anal sex, bicycle/horse riding, etc).

7.6 is still a level which should cause referral for further investigation. The next step in the UK would be a digital rectal exam, a mpMRI scan, and sometimes a flexible cystoscopy.

Why did you have your PSA measured in the first place?

User

Posted 25 Aug 2020 at 21:57

Hi Andy,

The first psa result was part of a routine blood test.

I will be seeing the French GP next week for advice. It was her that suggested the second test as it had been 6 months since the first test. She said that 11 was too high in her opinion, but if it reduced rather than increased, then I could always leave it a while and take a third test.

When I had the ultra sound, I was under the inpression I was going for an MRI, known here in France as an IRM.

User

Posted 26 Aug 2020 at 00:59

Agree there are a number of things that can contribute to a higher than normal PSA. Another possibility to add to the list is PIN which is what a friend of mine has had for some years. It's simply a sort of pre cancerous stage where it may or may not go on to develop into what is considered to be Prostate Cancer.

PSA at the sort of levels you indicate that possible reasons for the higher lever should be investigated and this seems to be being done. While PCa is quite possible at your level there are men with a PSA considerably higher who have not been found to have PCa. However, it's quite possible that with your PSA having fallen, your GP will want to do a PSA test in a few months time. I don't know how proactive they are in France in offering an MRI (IRM) when it has already been established that an enlarged Prostate will have affected the PSA level and you have already had an ultrasound scan.

It will be interesting to learn what your French GP says.

Barry

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