PSA SIGNIFICANT INCREASE POST ERT

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the forum, mate.

When and what was your lowest reading?

When and what was the reading previous to this last one?

Has there been an upward trend?

Is there a chance that 2.9 may have been inputted incorrectly? Did you read it or was it given to you verbally?

If it is 2.9 the GP is incorrect. It would only be in the normal range, NFA, had you not had any treatment. Have your  PSA checks been sent to your consultant or have they just been monitored by your GP?

Even if it did indicate a biochemical recurrence, or an emerging new tumour,  that would be disappointing more than disastrous.

I'm not medically trained but I would have thought they may recheck your PSA?

Best of luck, mate.👍

Edited by member 03 Jul 2025 at 15:39  | Reason: Typo

Thanks Adrian56. 2.9 is clear to read in the test result which I have seen in my patient record. 

Lowest was 0.03, constant while on hormone follow up to ERT. Then 0.26 1 year ago before I went on to annual tests, I.e. 2.9 yesterday!

Results have all gone to a GP. As you say, I am pretty sure it was compared only with the standard, healthy, range of up to 6.5, with no reference to fact that I had cancer/treatment in July 2021. Simply was not reviewed in context of discharge letter from my Consultant. 

How they finesse their way out of admitting that negligence should be quite amusing!

Thanks for the note of optimism.

davej

Thanks Barry. Shouldn't have been impacted by any too recent exercise, but yes needs re-testing to rule out an aberrant reading. If the same, then I shall press for a 2WW return to the Consultant (although unfortunately my main man has moved on).

Seems to me that will probably watch with more frequent PSA tests and maybe scans etc of bones for spread. Renewed hormone treatment may be a possibility?

Surgery at near 77 and with heavy COPD (although I am pretty active, averaging 100 miles per week cycling for example) is not really an option.

Dave.

I complained four times in relation to serious mistakes made in my treatment. They denied it. It was only when I involved the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman that they started telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

To prove clinical negligence. You have to show a failure in duty of care, including mistakes and omissions. That part is relatively easy. However, you also need to prove causation. You have to  show that because of treatment mistakes/omissions that you are worse off.

That's easy if they've operated on the wrong eye or cut off the wrong testicle, but to prove your cancer is worse than it should have been is virtually impossible because everyone's outcomes vary so much.

Edited by member 03 Jul 2025 at 18:30  | Reason: Typo

Hi,  who did you speak to at the GP. The staff read a standard off their PC that assumes you've not had any treatment.  The GP should know better if you spoke to him.

The NHS app shows a band from 0 to 6.5 for normal if your result is on there.

Edited by member 03 Jul 2025 at 20:01  | Reason: Corrected minimum normal to 0

Yes it's computer says normal in the name of the GP. The GP doesn't review each case and the national system is the same.

GP systems also used to never show the < sign.  I don't usually have a psa test at the GP but experienced both problems.

My PSA blood tests either have a named doctor in the reviewed box is it says clinician reviewed. In the action box It usually say no further action even though I have no prostate. Last year when my PSA went over 6.7 the action box said, abnormal "need to see doctor", I also got a call saying I need to see a doctor. I think that shows that the surgery are only looking at the (0.0 -6.5) comment and not the note about post surgery 0.2 and RT 2.0 comment. 

I have made an official complaint to my GP about their lack of knowledge in regard to PSA testing, they are supposed to be introducing a new system to be more thorough with PSA tests. I have pointed out to them that they could have many post treatment men who accepting a "normal no further action" statement when they should be referred back to urology or oncology. I have recently joined the surgeries" patient participation group"and will be pushing for a better treatment of my prostate cancer peers.

My surgery missed a PSA of 6.9 in 2010 , almost by accident I had a PSA test in 2013 which was 7.7 and my journey began three years later than it should have done.

Thanks Chris 

Dave,  I wouldn't like to say the actual GP is named.  It said GP comment which you'd assume is your GP.

Noted. Thanks.