My Urologist did a DRE and said my prostate was nice and small in size. But my PSA was at 5. I am going to do a follow up PSA in 6 weeks and then if it is still high, a biopsy. My question is if I had an infection or cancer, would my prostate enlarged even if it is just slightly? I read where 80 % of the men with high PSA levels do not have cancer. Also I read where John Hopskins Univeristy has a new more accurate test that measures EPC-2 Protiens. Has anyone had this test done? Is it even available yet?

Curious to know if your urologist recommended a biopsy now. It's not always the absolute PSA number, but the progression from prior tests (although above 4 seems to be the number that causes enough concern to warrant a biopsy).
I got my biopsy after a PSA of 3.9 followed by a 4.2 three months later. (The previous year the result had been 2.9.) Results of the biopsy showed a Gleason 7 (3+4).
I've just completed proton beam radiation.

Curious to know if your urologist recommended a biopsy now. It's not always the absolute PSA number, but the progression from prior tests (although above 4 seems to be the number that causes enough concern to warrant a biopsy).
I got my biopsy after a PSA of 3.9 followed by a 4.2 three months later. (The previous year the result had been 2.9.) Results of the biopsy showed a Gleason 7 (3+4).
I've just completed proton beam radiation.

He did say anything above 2.5 and over 50 should have a biopsy. What concerned me about the doctor was I had 5 orgasms in two days a day or two prior to my PSA test. He said that wouldn't have affected the results. Yet everything I have read says abstain from sex two days prior to the test. SO YOU DID HAVE CANCER?

Yes- I did- but the odds are that you don't. (It was 1 out of 5 that I would have it, so sometimes the longshots happen....).
Given your high level of studliness, maybe wait a while, abstain for 5 days, if you can, and get another PSA test. You didn't mention what your previous test results were.

Prostate size is difficult to gauge by DRE. Enlarged prostate does not mean cancer, and there are large variations in prostate size when men have PC.
"free PSA" test can help determine probability of PC

Most MRI, scans, and other tests do not give the clear cut results often published.
Diagnostic Center of disease Saratosa claim good results with their testing equipment.

A PSA of 5 does not indicate anything but further analysis. My husband's baseline PSA was 5 and nothing was wrong for over 20 years. No abnormal, Atypical cells, nothing. But, that was determined from biopsies. And, it warranted careful watch over many years. When the velocity of change did increase, we went for a more comprehensive biopsy (after 2 negative ones)and PC was found at that time.

It is not something to ignore by any means, but it does not indicate cancer!

On another note, a friend of ours had cancer and his PSA was 1! Only 1 Thankfully, his urologist thought he felt a suspicious hardening during the DRE and wanted to proceed. It was a blessing. Everything was caught very early, contained - he is cancer free, and he had no incontinence or ED after 2 1/2 months.

So, just to show you, PSA is not a measure for cancer but it is a urologists means to go further to biopsy.

Good luck! Stay positive!

He did say anything above 2.5 and over 50 should have a biopsy. What concerned me about the doctor was I had 5 orgasms in two days a day or two prior to my PSA test. He said that wouldn't have affected the results. Yet everything I have read says abstain from sex two days prior to the test....

Regarding ejaculations and PSA, you could go to the great free Government site www.pubmed.gov and try this search or one like it: " ejaculation AND PSA test results ". In order to read the short abstract for each study that has an abstract (most do), click on the authors lists of the hits that look interesting. The answer is not black and white, but the evidence sure leans one way in my view. I'm interested to see what you think.

Jim

Prostate size is difficult to gauge by DRE. Enlarged prostate does not mean cancer, and there are large variations in prostate size when men have PC.
"free PSA" test can help determine probability of PC

In addition to "free PSA," the new PCA3 Plus test can go a long way toward indicating whether or not there is cancer. There is information on it you can get by searching the web. The two tests are independent of each other, so each adds to the picture. One of its purposes is to aid in the decision whether a biopsy is needed. It is not only superior in providing information to the PSA test but also superior to the free PSA test.

Jim

Regarding ejaculations and PSA, you could go to the great free Government site www.pubmed.gov and try this search or one like it: " ejaculation AND PSA test results ". . I'm interested to see what you think.

Jim

It's kind of funny. The first two articles I read were totally opposite. One claimed it caused no significant changes while the other stated it definately causes significant changes (increases).