recurrent psa 0.2

User

Posted 17 Jan 2025 at 21:08

Good luck Wellyeknaa. There is no point regretting a previous decision made in good faith, but I think most would agree you should act now. I experienced the same frustrating period when values hovered around 0.18/0.17/0.19 before continuing their upward trajectory. I eventually had SRT.

The good news is that your doubling time is quite long, probably about a year if you tried to fit a line to your numbers. Your prospects for successful radiotherapy are good.

Que sera, sera is a good approach for avoiding undue anxiety from small things, but you should respond as necessary to the bigger ones.

User

Posted 18 Jan 2025 at 17:29

Thanks jb, I've a frustrating 3 week wait before a telephone consultation with urologist, but I imagine from then I be sent for a scan then probable salvage radiotherapy ASAP. 7 years between treatments is a canny result. Thank you for replying, and the information.

User

Posted 21 Jan 2025 at 02:16

Half of my career was as a chemical analyst, and my training included how to consider variability when interpreting test results. For all the discussions on PSA I have not seen any information on how variable the nature of the test is.

Although results might be reported to three decimal places this is an indication of how sensitive the test is but does not indicate how much fluctuation the nature of the test might introduce.

This variation is statistically determined by doing multiple tests on the same sample, then working out the statistical standard deviation of the results. Normally we report the results to the 3 standard deviation level, so a result would formally look like:
0.245 +/- 0.x at the 99.7 confidence level, where x is the variability caused by the test and which we do not know. If it was something like 0.05 then we would say we are 99.7% confident that the result would lie somewhere between 0.195 and 0.295 ug/l .

So when we compare two results without knowing how variable the test is you should be cautious about drawing too many conclusions especially for results close to the detection level. This concern can be ignored though for higher levels of PSA and for sets of results that are hugely different in value.

This situation becomes even more complex because (as far as I know) we do not have a good handle on how much natural variation of PSA level there is with an individual after radical prostatectomy caused by natural/environmental factors.

If you want more of an eye-opener, have a look at lab to lab variations reported in Australia by this article:

https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/psa-testing-dilemma-a-pathologist-s-perspective

Edited by member 21 Jan 2025 at 21:51 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 21 Jan 2025 at 08:16

Kiwi, thank you for your post, in a very uncontrolled manner I had a blood test that involved the drawn blood being put into two separate vials. My two vials went off to the same lab at the same time, one came back a 0.2 the other 0.21.

Out if interest is the psa evenly distributed in the blood. My oncologist once said something along the lines of the machines are reliable its your blood that isn't.

Might pay to edit your post and put a return /carriage return after the link.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 21 Jan 2025 at 10:12 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 21 Jan 2025 at 12:20

It is difficult to know what margins of error to expect. Not only can there be errors in the test equipment, but also variation in how much PSA the prostate (or other organs) is producing that day. I have friends on AS whose PSA varies between about 7 and 17. I doubt that is a variation in the test equipment, but it is the variation in PSA from a prostate (with insignificant cancer).

My view is that if you have ever had a fall in PSA in consecutive tests, treat this as the margin of error, and if you get a rise of that amount do not worry. My PSA post treatment is nearly always 0.1 it has been as high as 0.2 but fallen back to 0.1 I view ±0.1 as the margin of error in my PSA results.

Dave

User

Posted 30 May 2025 at 17:08

im having my first of 20 sessions of radiotherapy on thursday,my psa is 0.63.are there any tips to coping with side effects and fatigue that i may encounter,wishing all a canny summer.

User

Posted 30 May 2025 at 20:03

W, I had salvage RT without any HT and I did not get too much in the way of tiredness, certainly didn't get any fatigue. Make sure you get the bladder filled to the correct level. Hope goes well for you.

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 30 May 2025 at 20:46

thanks chris,im not on HT either,ive got my nhs bottle already packed,ive got a 2 hour round trip so ive got plenty of time for pelvic floor exercises en route.cant say im not nervous with my higher than optimum psa.thanks again.

User

Posted 30 May 2025 at 21:52

Hi, I had SRT without HT and didn't notice any real fatigue. Although there was just the driving, hanging around the treatment centre and water intake to contend with.

With a long drive home it's handy scouting out likely toilet stops such as supermarkets, pubs etc. I think it's also worth taking spare pants and trousers in the car in the unlikely event of a mishap.

I developed more of an urge to pee as my treatment progressed, and I learned not to trust a fart.

Good luck,

Kev.

User

Posted 30 May 2025 at 22:05

W, quite a few guys have said as time goes on, don't trust a fart, I did suffer with mucus farts. The hot weather can affect how water gets into the bladder but I think the modern RT machines scan a lot better than when I had my treatment. Find the nearest toilet to your treatment room and find a back up toilet just in case. The staff said I could use a urine bottle in the treatment room if really needed. I took a waterproof cover for the car journey and a urine bottle and towel just in case, don't think I needed them. I did have 33 sessions, with 20 sessions the effects may be slower to happen. Also know where toilets are in the journey to and from the hospital.

I always checked that the appointment was on time before drinking the required amount of water. I drank water on the way to hospital, if the appointment was on time I emptied the bladder then drank the required amount of water.

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 31 May 2025 at 08:11

thank you so much,i will take all those tips on board.

User

Posted 31 May 2025 at 08:39

this may help somebody but im sure i may be last to know this but if undergoing cancer treatment or effects of cancer treatment everybody entitled to free prescriptions ask for form fp92a at gps or oncologist....wish id been told earlier,exempt for 5 years for all medication.thank you all for help,good luck all

User

Posted 31 May 2025 at 09:07

I had salvage RT (33 sessions) last year (with HT). No problems at all. My nurse said it was probably because I was consistently well hydrated. (2 litres a day, every day). I filled a pop bottle with squash in the morning and didn't go to bed until it was finished, a nurse advised me that squash was better than water because the body has to process squash. Very easy to monitor intake that way. I also had a 2 hour round trip and took spare pants and trousers and a couple of pads but never needed them.

Good luck.

User

Posted 31 May 2025 at 18:47

I had 32 sessions of RT in 2016, I was also on , for 3 yrs with abiraterone,enzalutimide,prednisolone for 2 yrs on trial so any tiredness/fatigue etc may be more due to HT rather than RT. However I'm sure I did get a bit more tired/fatigued as RT progressed but not too bad, nothing compared to HT anyway. Bladder urgency did increase and had few issues with bowel control as treatment progressed and after it finished for a while. Soiled myself 3 times whilst out which obv not great, despite emptying bowel before went out. These were sort of expected though. My RT was at clatterbridge, thankfully less than 10mins from home, the policy there was mini enema upon arrival and when staff knew you were up shortly told to drink 3 cups water.

When I was out for the day etc whilst still having 'effects' i'd take imodium which worked well. I was advised not to change diet too much at all other than try avoid beans, sprouts etc things that produce wind, they want things to stay same as possible.

Peter

User

Posted 01 Jun 2025 at 06:11

Thank you Peter, immidium is a top tip, I feel better prepared with the advice given by you and others. I'm very grateful for the time you've taken to share.

User

Posted 06 Jun 2025 at 17:09

two sessions in and so far so good,been told side effects may kick in next week,most arduous task so far is watching daytime tv to see if enema does anything,not yet,and waiting for water to reach bladder

,amusingly, to me ,radiographers couldnt find tattoos from planning scan so now ive an indelible ink cross in my shrubbery. first treatment took 15 minutes todays nearer 10.have weekend off now,feeling staying hydrated is helping ???

User

Posted 27 Jun 2025 at 19:04

now 90% through,sideeffects intermittent but annoying,have untrustworthy farts,and some utgency to pee.overall treatment been first class,find days when dont have treatment hard.long weekend ahead then finish treatment tuesday,i find out results september,hoping side effects ease by then,have others experience i can lean on?aim of treatment is to contain and hopefully cure.psa at start 0.63,which i believe is high.best wishes

User

Posted 27 Jun 2025 at 22:37

Well done, good luck for the tests in September, hope all the side effects have cleared up by then..

User

Posted 28 Jun 2025 at 07:58

You're almost there.

For me, the worst of the side effects were gone after about a month, although the sudden urge to pee still happens now and then, but I can clench my pelvic floor until the sensation subsides and it's almost second nature now.

Good luck,

Kev.

User

Posted 28 Jun 2025 at 09:20

Thank you kev, good to know side effects may go quickly, then back to olde psa anxiety,feel very lucky that 8 years after surgery I'm still fighting and on top of cancer. Best of luck to you.

User

Posted 29 Jun 2025 at 09:13

Don't know if I would be able to do it but after 10 years of PSA "anxiety" I think I may just not bother with PSA testing if/when I have salvage radio therapy. Just wait for symptoms and treat it then.

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