I should point out I have no medical training, but I have been on this site for a few years, due to having had RT for prostate cancer.
This is not necessarily cancer, we have seen higher PSAs on here caused by prostatitis or infection.
I am assuming he only has annual tests so we do not know when it started to rise from 0.3. It might have started to rise 11 months ago, or it could have been the day before the test. What we do know is that it was a 50% rise in the last two weeks.
So at the moment we don't know if this has been a steady climb which would imply cancer or a fairly sudden jump which implies infection.
The oncologist will have to do some tests. One test which would add a lot of information would be another PSA test two weeks after the last (11 July). If this showed a PSA of about 65 that would show a 50% increase every 2 weeks.
Things would then get complicated, doctors would talk about a PSA doubling time of about four weeks, and treatments would be talked about.
However there is no point in worrying about 'what ifs' because at the moment we don't have enough information to rule out a simple infection, and worrying about recurrence of cancer is pointless unless you have strong evidence that that is what is happening.
*For any mathematicians out there, I know I have made some rounding errors, and didn't use logarithms to calculate doubling time, but with no strong evidence for cancer it doesn't make sense to do all the maths precisely.
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User
I would also suggest a urine culture test for a UTI be done if not already undertaking, this could be part responsible for PSA rise and if positive antibiotics be taken.
Barry |
User
Thank you both for your comforting posts: he had a urine test on Tuesday which showed nothing untoward. We hope it's an infection but thank goodness that his oncologist can see him on Monday as he's very down, with a stress cough and feeling very tired.
User
Hi Saffron, I am going to be honest because I think you already know that this is unlikely to be an infection and there is a strong possibility that the cancer has come back. I think the oncologist will arrange for whole body scans to see if they can identify where the PSA is coming from. Once the scans are done, the onco will be able to recommend a treatment plan. It is good that the onco has been able to give you an appointment so quickly - or was it already planned?
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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Hi LynEyre, thank you for your response. He was due to have a follow up PSA test yesterday, but we had it done on Tuesday the 27th so he got results yesterday. Oncologist then brought forward scheduled appointment from 10th July to this Monday the 3rd. So treatment should hopefully begin asap.
User
Your husband has a biochemical relapse of prostate cancer. Please do a PSMA PET scan to know the extent of the disease and for subsequent treatment planning.
User
Thank you for your posts. We saw oncologist on 7/8 The cancer had got into his bones and she has put him on Erleada Apalutamide 64mg 4 tablets a day - he's worried about the side effects and I wonder if anyone has had or is on this medication please?
Edited by member 13 Aug 2023 at 21:56
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