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Effect of Tamsulosin on PSA in BPH

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User
Posted 11 Mar 2024 at 14:42

Good day all,

Not sure if anyone has the same experience, will appreciate some feedback if there are any.

-Gleason 6

-T1c 

-Biopsy in May 2023 returned 1 core positive out of 24 (with less than 2%)

-Currently on Active Surveillance 

 

My last MRI in September 2023 indicated that the size of my prostate was 76cc.

My latest PSA is 4.8 (February 2024), an increase from 4.2 (November 2023).

I had a flow test in January 2024 which suggested my flow rate is low and there was post void residue in the bladder.

I have been prescribed Tamsulosin to help with flowrate and emptying bladder.

My query is 'will the use of Tamsulosin affect (reduce) PSA values and could the none use of it cause PSA to rise in the case of BPH?

I haven't started taking it yet, but the urology nurse suggested that with my enlarged prostate, the cancer may not be the only reason why the PSA is rising. 

I don't really want to go down the route of medication if i don't need to.

I'm not due another MRI or Biopsy till 2025. 

 

 

Thanks 

 

User
Posted 11 Mar 2024 at 16:04

Hello mate.

I was on Tamsulosin for over ten years. It didn't effect my PSA levels. Although my cancer ended up as Gleason 9(5+4), my PSA remained fairly low below 6. I did some research to see if it masked an increase in PSA and came to the conclusion that it didn't. 

This conversation relates to your query.

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t11552-Tamsulosin-and-PSA

Edited by member 11 Mar 2024 at 16:26  | Reason: Spelling.

User
Posted 11 Mar 2024 at 16:33

Tamsulosin is mostly used for its short term effect (alpha blocker) of relaxing the smooth muscle of the prostate and internal urinary sphincter so you pee faster (typically about 20% faster). This helps to ensure you fully (or at least more fully) void when your flow rate is restricted by enlarged prostate. Outflow obstruction can also be a cause of bladder spasms, so it might indirectly help with that too.

However, long term Tamsulosin use does seem to shrink the prostate a bit too, and since your PSA level is related to prostate size, I would imagine PSA might reduce a bit with long term Tamsulosin use, but I've not seen anything on this, and I'm not aware it changes PSA levels produced by the cancer. It doesn't fix flow rate reduction caused by the cancer, but that's rare as the cancer is less likely to invade the centre of the prostate which is what grows in the case of enlarged prostate. Cancer tends to form in the perpheral zones of the prostate.

Finasteride, Dutasteride (and hence also Avodart), which are all also used for treating enlarged prostates, all reduce PSA by around 50% without changing prostate cancer risk, so you need to double all PSA readings while you're on any of these medications.

Edited by member 11 Mar 2024 at 16:40  | Reason: Not specified

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User
Posted 11 Mar 2024 at 16:04

Hello mate.

I was on Tamsulosin for over ten years. It didn't effect my PSA levels. Although my cancer ended up as Gleason 9(5+4), my PSA remained fairly low below 6. I did some research to see if it masked an increase in PSA and came to the conclusion that it didn't. 

This conversation relates to your query.

https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t11552-Tamsulosin-and-PSA

Edited by member 11 Mar 2024 at 16:26  | Reason: Spelling.

User
Posted 11 Mar 2024 at 16:33

Tamsulosin is mostly used for its short term effect (alpha blocker) of relaxing the smooth muscle of the prostate and internal urinary sphincter so you pee faster (typically about 20% faster). This helps to ensure you fully (or at least more fully) void when your flow rate is restricted by enlarged prostate. Outflow obstruction can also be a cause of bladder spasms, so it might indirectly help with that too.

However, long term Tamsulosin use does seem to shrink the prostate a bit too, and since your PSA level is related to prostate size, I would imagine PSA might reduce a bit with long term Tamsulosin use, but I've not seen anything on this, and I'm not aware it changes PSA levels produced by the cancer. It doesn't fix flow rate reduction caused by the cancer, but that's rare as the cancer is less likely to invade the centre of the prostate which is what grows in the case of enlarged prostate. Cancer tends to form in the perpheral zones of the prostate.

Finasteride, Dutasteride (and hence also Avodart), which are all also used for treating enlarged prostates, all reduce PSA by around 50% without changing prostate cancer risk, so you need to double all PSA readings while you're on any of these medications.

Edited by member 11 Mar 2024 at 16:40  | Reason: Not specified

 
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