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What does success look like?

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User
Posted 02 Dec 2023 at 14:29

Hello. I'm 51. I had my prostatectomy in March 2022. Negative margins (just about), 4+3, and first post-op PSA of 0.01. Over the next year, this rose to 0.05. So I underwent radiotherapy to the prostate bed in May/June. I'm having a six-month blood test at the Marsden on Monday, with a follow-up call on Wednesday. Should I be hoping for an undetectable PSA result at this point after the RT, or even any reduction from the 0.05? I just want to manage my expectations of success/progress, and prepare for something else if the PSA has risen.

User
Posted 02 Dec 2023 at 21:04

Radiotherapy will kill the cancer cells. A significant portion will die during the radiotherapy, but the remainder die slowly over the following couple of years. So you would ideally be looking for a substantial reduction from the 0.05, but it might not yet be as low as it's going to get, which might be undetectable eventually.

Best wishes with the results.

User
Posted 06 Dec 2023 at 23:07
Different hospitals have different protocols. Three consecutive rises in PSA readings were enough for the oncologists to take a chance on RT for me, well below the 0.2 trigger. I'm glad they did.
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User
Posted 02 Dec 2023 at 21:04

Radiotherapy will kill the cancer cells. A significant portion will die during the radiotherapy, but the remainder die slowly over the following couple of years. So you would ideally be looking for a substantial reduction from the 0.05, but it might not yet be as low as it's going to get, which might be undetectable eventually.

Best wishes with the results.

User
Posted 02 Dec 2023 at 22:00

Hi,

Just to echo Andy's post..

I had SRT in July last year after my PSA touched 0.12.

My first PSA post SRT was 0.07,  followed by 0.04, 0.03 and now <0.010.

Hope yours goes in the right direction. 

Good luck. 

Kev.

Edited by member 02 Dec 2023 at 22:03  | Reason: Added note

User
Posted 06 Dec 2023 at 20:34
I got a phone call about my results this afternoon. Six months on from the salvage RT, PSA <0.01, which is the level I had hoped for after the RP (they had recorded 0.01 then). I'm not going to get too excited, but I think the overriding sensation is of relief. We go on to fight another day.
User
Posted 06 Dec 2023 at 20:49

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Hello. I'm 51. I had my prostatectomy in March 2022. Negative margins (just about), 4+3, and first post-op PSA of 0.01. Over the next year, this rose to 0.05. So I underwent radiotherapy to the prostate bed in May/June. 

I'm confused here guys.

I had RARP 10 months ago. 3 PSA checks since, 0.02, 0.05 and 0.02, the slight jump was put down to different lab readings. I've been told 0.2 is the trigger for further treatment?

User
Posted 06 Dec 2023 at 23:07
Different hospitals have different protocols. Three consecutive rises in PSA readings were enough for the oncologists to take a chance on RT for me, well below the 0.2 trigger. I'm glad they did.
 
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