PSA Readings - Cancer: Prostate Message Board

givemehope123 · 07-07-2009, 04:06 PM

Hi Folks,

This is the 2nd thread I am starting, my first thread was "Healthy Male 35 yrs old, high psa and low free psa, is it prostatitis or cancer"

Just a quick update on the background, I am now 36 yrs old and in good general health.
In Sept 08, on an annual physical exam, by mistake my GP had ordered a PSA test along with a bunch of usual tests. Turns out that my PSA reading was 4.01 which was way too high for somebody of my age. The doc gave me some anti-biotics for 3 weeks and had me repeat the psa. My psa dropped to 3.5 and was referred to a urologist.

The urologist was kind of surprised that the psa test was done for me for no reason, but he said that having found a high psa he advised a biopsy. He performed a 12 core biopsy in Oct 08 and thankfully the results turned out to be negative. He asked me to monitor my psa every 3 months.

I had a repeat psa test in Mar 09 where my psa rose to 3.9 from 3.54. The doctors said that it still was not a significant raise and asked me to come back in another 3 months.

I had another test performed in Jul-09 and this time my psa dropped from 3.9 to 3.06. Free psa was measured at 10.5. This time too they said that no immediate biopsy would be needed and they asked me to come back in another 3 months.

Just to sum up my psa and free psa readings
Date PSA Free PSA
sept 08 4.01 10.5
oct 08 3.54 9.5
Mar 09 3.90 10.0
Jul 09 3.0 10.5

I guess I will need to go back in another 3 months.
HAs anybody been in similar situations?
When would one want to go for a repeat biopsy?
Appreciate any inputs and comments.

Thanks,
Hope

IADT3since2000 · 07-07-2009, 04:30 PM

Hi Hope,

Congratulations on that nice drop!

Of course I'm not an MD, but your hole case, with that up and down PSA and low free PSA, still looks like an infection or inflammation to me. I've heard it said that a "sawtooth" PSA pattern often is typical for an infection. Cancer, of course, involves one cell splitting into two, two into four, four into eight, ... eight hundred into sixteen hundred, sixteen hundred into thirty two hundred, and so on, with each split taking virtually the same time, unless affected by outside events. That means that the characteristic PSA pattern for prostate cancer is a tell-tale exponential doubling. If you graph it on normal paper, it will be a curved line sloping upward. Sometimes that trend, when caused by cancer, is not all that clear at low PSA values because benign enlargement and infection, inflammation, etc. can also contribute PSA. But, it sure looks like your PSA scores do not fit the cancer pattern. That idea of returning in three months sounds good to me.

Take care,

Jim

Quote:

Originally Posted by givemehope123

... This time too they said that no immediate biopsy would be needed and they asked me to come back in another 3 months.

Just to sum up my psa and free psa readings
Date PSA Free PSA
sept 08 4.01 10.5
oct 08 3.54 9.5
Mar 09 3.90 10.0
Jul 09 3.0 10.5

I guess I will need to go back in another 3 months.
HAs anybody been in similar situations?
When would one want to go for a repeat biopsy?
Appreciate any inputs and comments.

Thanks,
Hope