To be expected?

User

Posted 19 Jun 2025 at 10:04

I was diagnosed with T3B N1 M0 prostate cancer with a PSA of 252 in January 2022, I have had full pelvic radiation, chemotherapy and was put on hormone therapy for three years. I had my last injection nine months ago (it was six monthly).

My PSA soon became undetectable but now it’s 0.2, I was told it will go up when the hormone treatment stops because I still have a prostate but it needs to stay below 2.

To come to my point, is a rise to 0.2 too high this soon after my last injection, or about right?

User

Posted 19 Jun 2025 at 11:19

Hi Roger,

I have no personal experience, but this short link may help.

https://youtu.be/zQktPZ6U80s?si=m-Nak7u4rz130iZF

User

Posted 19 Jun 2025 at 11:52

Thank you,Adrian.

User

Posted 22 Jun 2025 at 07:18

Has anyone else experienced this?

User

Posted 22 Jun 2025 at 18:45

Not quite same treatment as yourself as I had no chemo but had RT to prostae&pelvis and 3 years HT (Zoladex) with 2 yrs abiraterone,enzalutimide,prednisolone on trial. I was T3b slight spread to seminal vesicles, psa 21, gleason 8 (upped to 9 later).
During treatment PSA undetectable& for a while after finished. After a good while, allowing things to settle after HT finished etc, my nadir PSA was established as 0.5. As with you, my PSA could go up a bit due to still having prostate tho for me, I was told if PSA rises by 2 I'd be looked at. My treatment finished 2018 and PSA has never been above 0.5.
I was under the impression that in general those of us with prostate after HT/RT further action may be considered if psa goes to 2 above nadir. I dont think you have reached your nadir yet? But I would guess, purely in my own opinion, your rise in PSA is expected as HT etc wears off and testosterone starts to return?
Peter

User

Posted 22 Jun 2025 at 18:49

Thanks for replying Peter,

I did expect my PSA to rise but not so soon after the HT finished. I had my last injection in September but they were 6 monthly shots, so that’s only 3 months to wear off; is that long enough for the testosterone to come back?

User

Posted 22 Jun 2025 at 21:21

I always look for Andy62 to chip in on queries like this. He managed to persuade his doctors to test testosterone along with PSA following his treatment so he could really see what was going on after HT finished.

However he had rather more drastic treatment than you, brachytherapy as well as EBRT. That will have meant more damage to prostate cells and less ability to produce PSA. From what I remember he did get a rebound in PSA, three months after recovery of testosterone. But in his case it took about 9 months after finishing HT to see significant testosterone, the question is whether your testosterone recovery was quicker.

User

Posted 22 Jun 2025 at 22:33

For comparison, at age 73, I was G9, psa 11, locally advanced into 3 lymph nodes [see profile], treated with EBRT [no brachy] and follow up HT for 21 months.

At 7 months after HT had worn off [with no testosterone] my psa was still <0.01. At about 11 months with testosterone returning at 18.4 nmol/litre my psa was 0.21.

Big age difference between us so this might not be a useful comparison.

Jules

User

Posted 23 Jun 2025 at 05:57

Roger_that at this stage you have nothing to worry about.

User

Posted 23 Jun 2025 at 08:48

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. I’m trying to contact my specialist nurse for advice but there is no answer at the moment.

User

Posted 23 Jun 2025 at 11:55

I’ve been unable to contact my specialist nurse, so I rang the prostate cancer helpline.

As expected, the nurse I spoke to was excellent.

She said that I had every reason to be concerned as it is still very early days for my testosterone to have returned.

I’m going to try to get in touch with the hospital tomorrow.

I would welcome any advice and comments.

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