Prostate Concern--Would you help??

[dukert]

I was on this board back in May with some concerns...and I was blessed to have such great support and to receive info from those so willing to help.

Let me give you the background: Back in May I was having prosititis type symptoms...went to the Urologist...he said my prostate felt a bit boggy...he did a PSA which came back 4.7...I was 56 at the time...almost 57 now. He looked at the urine before and after prostatic massage...he said he saw no signs of prosititis and suggested a biopsy. My internist who I saw for another issue at the same time when I mentioned the pending biopsy and told him I had prosititis symptoms asked me if the urologist offered antibiotics for 10 days os so to see if the PSA dropped? I said no. He suggested we try 10 days of Leviquin...and then retest PSA...we did not do the biopsy and used antibiotics...in ten days teh PSa had dropped to 3.5...he suggested two more weeks of antibiotics and retest PSA...it dropped to 2.4...he said antibiotics don't reduce cancer or PSA without a reason?? He said to come back and recheck in a year. That was in June...now fast forward to now or October...I was having some prosititis symptoms again...went to urologist where I now live in Florida...he did the rectal...no issues...no palable. Did my PSA...now at 3.5...remember I am 57. He did to new tests that I am not familiar with....hoping some of you know something about....he ordered a PCA 2 and a PCA 3 Plus...the PCA 2 has not come back yet but the PCA 3 Plus came back 26.3...I read a number on this test above 11 indicates likelihood of cancer???????? Could this be elevated due to prosititis as well??? Anyone who has insight would be greatly appreciated. By the way, this urologist felt nothing during rectal...just 3.5 PSA and this evidently high score on this new test????

Please your help...I am obviously worried...God bless you all.

Duke

[3sweeties2005]

Duke,


I am by no means an expert but since my fil has advanced pc I have been studying a lot. I can tell you that a high psa due to inflammation (prostatitis) will reduce when given antibiotics, my fil was given antibiotic therapy for a few weeks and his psa jumped up instead of going down.
As far as the psa2 and psa3plus tests I have never heard of a psa3 test or lab, but the psa2 is the same as a free psa test. The lower the free psa is the more worrisome it is for cancer, I think they measure the free psa to total psa and if the free is less than 15% this is indicative of cancer.

Hope this helps,

A.

[All_Sevens]

Duke,

Aren't you the guy who was going to see Dr. Partin toward the end of your last thread? From what you just wrote, it sounds like your internist talked you out of the biopsy. In my case, I had prostatitis AND cancer. And yes, antibiotics reduced my PSA, but never to a decent baseline that I could hold. Much as I wanted to write off my elevated PSA to infection, I couldn't really determine the probablity of cancer until I started consuting with someone who had treated thousands of prostate patients and who was up-to-date on all the recent research and methods. So, my recommendation remains the same: find, and stick with, a good urologist.

Best of luck to you,

7s

[All_Sevens]

Duke,

By the way, how did it go with Partin? I had kind of a disappointing experience when I went to him for a second opinion.

7

[dukert]

Thanks for the responses to date. All Sevens...you are correct, I was going to see Partin, but did not go as my internist said since i had prostititis symptoms that i should first try antibiotics..i did and after 10 days my psa dropped from 4.7 to 3.5...he left me on it for another ten days and my psa dropped to 2.4...he said it was obviously an infection.

Now fast forward to now...i have what i believe our the same prostititis symptoms... i have started antibiotic again...my psa was 3.5...nothing on dre..psa 2 is 21, but could be influnced by infection i have been told??? could these psa and psa 2 tests be influenced by post dre? also, had new pca 3 plus test which was 26.3 which could indicate possible problem?? can this test be influenced by infection or post dre? There are two companies that do the same test...one uses a cutoff of any number above 11 while the other uses 35 as cutoff...obviously one company creates more false positives although catching more early cancers???

I am going to have 14-18 biopsy next month...hopefully i don't have but if so hopefully i catch it early??

any feedback appreciated.. by the way, why didn't you like Partin??

Regards.