Locally advanced dreaded PSA frequency

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 12:19

Hi husband has been on Decapeptyl for 4 months now with a good reduction in PSA. Consultant is quite pleased.

How often would you expect a PSA test?

He's had one we think requested by hospital then two weeks later at his routine annual check he asked for another one.

Just wondering how it works.

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 17:46

Every 3 months was my routine. Once I stopped the Decapeptyl I asked for testosterone to be included so that the PSA reading was more meaningful. Surprisingly, I regained a normal testosterone level within 4 months (I stopped the Decapeptyl after 12 months) and that made my low PSA level even more satisfying. I am now on 6 monthly tests.

Peter

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 17:58

Thank you for the reply. I think this was after a couple of weeks. I'm not sure we're in any routine yet. We're still waiting for the Apalutamide. I thought it was more effective before RT and by current appointment he will have been on it for just 2 months. Oncologist said that it was an irritation rather than biologically crucial

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 18:57

Yes whilst I was on treatment I was tested every 3 months, I think other things such as cholesterol, white/red cell count, haemoglobin etc are done as well. I dont think testesterone is tested routinely mine wasnt anyway, with hindsight it would have been nice to know what it was before ADT to compare but I know it recovered fully couple years or so after treatment.

Tests stayed at 3months for a while after treatment, went to 6 months and now 12 months with no issues with PSA level.

Thats with my treatment being 3yrs Zoladex (including 2yrs abiraterone, enzalutimide, prednisolone on trial)&32 sessions of RT for locally advanced PCa, T3b, gleason 8 upped to 9, PSA 21.

PETER

User

Posted 01 Apr 2026 at 19:32

Thank you so much for the reply. Really positive and helpful. I feel it's so important to try and stay positive. He's doing really well and I tell him often how much I admire his attitude. Thank you

User

Posted 02 Apr 2026 at 07:43

If you're going to be on time-limited hormone therapy, it's useful to get a Testosterone test before you start so you know what your normal is (there's a massive variation between men). However, this is almost never done.

Then, when you finish hormone therapy, it's useful to include Testosterone tests with every PSA test until your Testosterone has recovered and remained stable for a year. This is because you can't accurately interpret the PSA result without knowing what the Testosterone level is (and if you still have a prostate, you do expect the PSA to rise about 3 months delayed from the Testosterone recovery). It's also useful to know that your Testosterone has returned, and compare with the pre-treatment level if that was recorded.

One of the main specialist centres does measure Testosterone with every PSA test during treatment, and they do pick up a small percentage of cases where the hormone therapy isn't working.

User

Posted 02 Apr 2026 at 08:28

Hi Antoinette,

I was tested every three months until just after Radiotherapy finished, it then switched to 6 monthly. I guess every NHS area does it slightly differently? Testosterone was included in all my test, though not on my initial tests before diagnosis. Like Andy said it would have been nice to know, but you're minds on other things at that point!

Testosterone was missed off my last test for some reason, I asked for it to be added back on my future tests, next one being September which it has been. I'll have been of HT for a couple of months so it will be interesting to see what the results are, I'm not expecting much if anything at that point though.

All the best

John

User

Posted 02 Apr 2026 at 10:06

I did see that Decapeptyl has a faster recovery time than some others. We have had mixed messages about if my husband's PC is curable or not so curable. One consultant said may not be but n his staging itvsays that is thevplan. I'm trying to keep positive despite this guys pessimism. His PSA was 7.1 and he has responded well to ADT. He is fit and very active and not overweight. I have fine tuned our diet to exclude red meat and processed food. I even make our own bread. We grow some of our vegetables on our allotment. He has 20 sessions RT in June/ July and has been told the ADT is for 2 years and then he'll come off it to see if it's worked. If not he'll go back on it.

So far he is OK. Our sex life is very good still as we have "adapted" I think is the phrase. I do understand this isn't a concern for everyone but it's always been a constant feature for both of us, equally so i would say. Husband's vasectomy 40 years ago means we've had no constraints. So far Sildenafil 50mg works fine and he's had no side effects apart from a mild headache the first few tablets. I have no bother over initiating things and always was telling him how irresistible I think he is! Sense of humour and lack of inhibition, good communication and absolute devotion help.

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