Post operation psa levels

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 17:48

Hi am making this brief as my last post disappeared..

Operation October 2018

T2a n0 m0

No spread nerves and vesicles removed.

At first meeting after surgery surgeon said it went well and on my notes it said curative..

First 3 psa tests just showed less than 0.1

Test at another hospital was 0.04

Then another hospital 0.07 {pre covid}

Then one year later different lab 0.09

Nurse does not seem concerned said that different labs have machines that go to different tolerances, and go back in 6 months, Concerned as I thought the psa should remain steady.. Should have asked for test at first hospital so tests done on same machine, anyone else experiencing this.. Or have experienced this?

Edited by member 31 Mar 2021 at 10:53 | Reason: Added some details

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 17:48

Hi am making this brief as my last post disappeared..

Operation October 2018

T2a n0 m0

No spread nerves and vesicles removed.

At first meeting after surgery surgeon said it went well and on my notes it said curative..

First 3 psa tests just showed less than 0.1

Test at another hospital was 0.04

Then another hospital 0.07 {pre covid}

Then one year later different lab 0.09

Edited by member 31 Mar 2021 at 10:53 | Reason: Added some details

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 19:42

Thanks didn't know psa was also produced in other parts of the body

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User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 18:04

Seems perfectly reasonable; different machines will be calibrated slightly differently and even with one sample run twice on the same machine you can get small variations.

As far as the NICE guidelines are concerned, you don't have a problem unless your PSA rises to 0.2 or you have three successive rises above 0 1. If that happens, you should be referred to oncology for a discussion.

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

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 18:10

Thanks for the reply, iam still a little new to this and just seeing a small difference was confusing as I thought it would be zero. Someone said it's possible for minute traces of prostate to be left behind after surgery, and this can effect psa levels..

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 19:32

That is true but also take into account that PSA is generated in other places apart from the prostate so the measurement is never zero. Breast milk contains PSA and a woman that has just had an orgasm might have more PSA than you have right now; PSA can also be an indicator of breast cancer.

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

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 19:33

I do think though that as a man who has had prostatectomy, you should be doing everything you can to get your PSA tested at the same lab each time - otherwise it is going to be difficult to accurately pinpoint the overall trend.

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

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 19:35

Your PSA will never be zero, Paul. Even though you have no prostate, other cells in your body produce small amounts of PSA. Women have a measurable PSA level!

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 19:40

Hi, yes I agree from now on iam trying to use the same lab, before it's been christies own, Salford Royal own, then one in Wigan Borough where I live, I would have preferred to have it done at Salford Royal but they ask to have the test done before my appointment, which I now can do if I use the same phlebotomy service in Wigan.

Thanks for the reply

User

Posted 30 Mar 2021 at 19:42

Thanks didn't know psa was also produced in other parts of the body

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