A Rise in PSA

Hi,  are you sure he said 9.6 as that seems high?

3.2 for an 80cc prostate seems lowish so whether 4.4 is high is debatable.  Although as it has risen from 3.2 it's likely worth asking the GP.  It might be nothing as an 80cc prostate is large and will increase his psa, but better to be safe than sorry.  You might also ring the nurse at Prostate Cancer UK, they're helpful.

GPs are unlikely to actually monitor your psa.  They just put a generic note for a clerk to read if you ring.  Usually something like if it's under 4 it's OK.   As I have no prostate and it shouldn't be more than about 0.05 then I knew it wasn't a good answer.  I wouldn't assume your GP knows your status.

Regards Peter

As his prostate is about 3 times larger than average, a PSA of 3.2 would be about 1.1 in an average man and 4.4 equates to about 1.5. So these figures on their own are not too troublesome, but as francij says it's a 33% rise in a year and that needs keeping a close eye on. I think you will have difficulty getting the GP to ignore the consultants strange choice of 9.6 as a threshold (a meaningless number). I would get another PSA test in six months if his PSA is then over 5.0 there is strong evidence this isn't just a blip it is a steady rise and that is usually cancer.

Because the PSA figures are not exceptionally high and a year ago the biopsy was clear, I don't think waiting six months to get a clearer picture is a big risk. I think if you went all guns blazing at the GP now and another biopsy came back clear you would have great difficulty getting any future help from the GP until 9.6 was crossed.