| PCA3 Plus Test - Questions
I just returned from my urologist appointment. They took blood for another PSA and free PSA test and he did another DRE (everything felt fine) for a urine base PCA3 Plus test.
As I posted a few weeks ago, I’m 44 (PSA was a very stable 1.4 four months ago) but shot up to 4.9. Over the last month it’s been bouncing up and down from 4.9 and now down to 3.6 after two weeks of Cipro. I also had my Free PSA taken last week on my own and it was 16.4 which it sounds like is a little on the low side (or at least not definitive enough to avoid a biopsy) ---- I’ve read where infection can also lower your free psa results.
My question is in regards to today’s PCA3 Plus test. My understanding is it can pick up prostate cancer cells in the urine and then the report comes back as a number (anything over 35 sounds as if PC is likely)
Couple questions I had about the test
1) What is the typical cut off number to avoid a biopsy?
2) How accurate is this test vs the free PSA
3) Why is this test not definitive ---- ie ---- if it picks up cancer cells it certainly seems that would translate to cancer being present. Guessing a lot of times the test comes back inconclusive leading to a biopsy?
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