Rise in PSA levels post RT

User

Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 15:09

Hello, my husband completed 20 rounds of RT in April last year and his PSA levels in November were 0.57. He has just had his next 3 monthly PSA test and this has risen to 1.78.

Should we be worried?

Thanks

Nic

User

Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 19:32

HI NS78,

I had surgery rather than radiotherapy, so I can't answer your question, but I'm just responding to 'bump up' your post.

You haven't mentioned whether your husband is having (or has completed) hormone therapy, so I assume not (?). If he still has a prostate, then he will produce PSA. It is my understanding that a small rise in PSA is not considered very significant, but other contributors on here will be able to advise you better than me.

Best wishes,

JedSee.

User

Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 19:43

Hi Nic

What was his NADIR(lowest PSA reading)? As I understand it if it goes to NADIR + 2.0 then further investigation may be required. I’m assuming he still has a prostate so will still generate a PSA.
do you not have a CNS you can speak to?

Hope you can get an answer.

Derek

Edited by member 28 Jan 2024 at 19:46 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 20:00

Well officially you shouldn't be worried. Because recurrence is not considered to happen until a value of 2.57 in his case. Any test within about six months of RT isn't very reliable either, the rise in PSA could be from cancer cells dieing post RT.

However, that is a pretty big rise. I don't think I've seen anyone else on this site post that big a rise shortly after RT. I would be contacting the oncologist straight away.

Edited by member 29 Jan 2024 at 04:07 | Reason: Not specified

Dave

User

Posted 28 Jan 2024 at 21:29

Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate it. My husband had HT for 4 months prior to his RT but this was then stopped as he has a heart condition so it was a bigger risk to keep him on it.

I can’t remember the first PSA test result but it was just over 1. He completed RT end of April and had this test completed in August. The next reading in November dropped to 0.57 then his latest one taken last week was 1.78 which seems a significant jump.

Hopefully it’s nothing to worry about, we speak to the oncologist on the 8th Feb but feels a long wait when we’re already worried. I’ve read there can be a bounce and just wondered if anyone else has experienced something similar but it seems not.

User

Posted 29 Jan 2024 at 04:19

This link does suggest it may just be a bounce.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7465291/#:~:text=In%20curative%20cases%2C%20PSA%20levels,the%20PSA%20bounce%20%5B3%5D.

It's not easy to read but it mentions a bounce amplitude of 1.3 which your OHs result is just below. I and nearly everyone on this site would have been on HT after RT so a bounce would have been masked by the HT.

It does sound like your OH could be in a better situation than it would first appear.

Dave

User

Posted 29 Jan 2024 at 10:25

Was he on hormone therapy?
If so, is he still on hormone therapy? If not, when did it run out (i.e. when would the next injection have been if he hadn't stopped)?

Edited by member 29 Jan 2024 at 10:27 | Reason: Not specified

Notification

Join the online community now.