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Rising PSA during Chemotherapy

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User
Posted 10 Jun 2021 at 18:15

Hello everyone, 

 

I was looking for some advice for my dad, who has metastatic prostate cancer in the spine, pelvis and shoulder.  

 

He is currently having chemotherapy (on his 2nd session out of 10x docetaxel). However, his PSA has risen from 3.2 to 5.4 in the last three weeks or so. The doctor does not seem too concerned and his bone pain is the same. 

 

Has anyone out there experienced a similar surge in PSA levels during chemotherapy? Any advice/experience/information on the matter would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thank you for all your help. 

User
Posted 10 Jun 2021 at 21:08
Chemo doesn't reduce the PSA and in some cases, it makes the PSA levels rise. Think of it as the cancer cells screaming as they die.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 10 Jun 2021 at 21:21

Thank you Lyn. Doesn’t a rising PSA indicate that the chemo isn’t working and cancer progressing? 

I was always under the impression that increasing PSA = cancer growing? 

I have seen a few studies published, which have indicated that in some cases PSA does rise and that too significantly following chemotherapy for the first 8 weeks and that it should begin to decline or stabilise after the third session? 

User
Posted 10 Jun 2021 at 23:22
An observed increase in PSA during active treatment (eg chemo or RT but not HT though) can be caused by cancer cells dying off and releasing the PSA within them.
User
Posted 10 Jun 2021 at 23:45

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Thank you Lyn. Doesn’t a rising PSA indicate that the chemo isn’t working and cancer progressing? 

I was always under the impression that increasing PSA = cancer growing? 

I have seen a few studies published, which have indicated that in some cases PSA does rise and that too significantly following chemotherapy for the first 8 weeks and that it should begin to decline or stabilise after the third session? 

Accepted view is that chemo is rather irrelevant during chemo. Some oncos don't even like their patients to have PSA tests during chemotherapy. 

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

User
Posted 11 Jun 2021 at 23:21

Thank you all for your input! Onwards and upwards. Hopefully it all works out! 

 
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