high PSA after RP

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rivergram
rivergram Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCE A HIGHER PSA AFTER SURGERY? ALL WENT GREAT TIL POST 6 WEEK PSA - AWAITING 2ND TEST AND THEN WHAT IF STILL HIGHER? ANY INFO APPRECITED.

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  • William Parkinson
    William Parkinson Member Posts: 60 Member
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    Sorry to hear of this
    The first question to ask is if you have positive surgical margins; that is to say, did they get all the cancer. The usual presumption is that if the cancer was organ confined and you have no surgical margins then you should see a PSA reading of around 0.003. Only very ultra sensitive PSA tests can detect it any lower I think. So, for most people you should have a PSA reading of somewhere around that figure. If you have negative surgical margins, and you still have a PSA reading that is too high given your post-prostatectomy status, then the presumption is that the cancer has spread. Sadly, Pca has a 'tropism' for bone. This is why it is so difficult to deal with Pca once it has spread. Now, it is also the case that 57% of all prostate cancer victims have circulating epitheial tumor cells in their blood. Thus, there is always the possibily that you might have had some cells manage to get a foothold--but that is very improbable at this stage. Now, if you do have positive surgical margins, all is not lost. Arguably, it matters more where the margins are, rather than the fact that you might have one or more areas. I hope this helps and I hope the PSA reading was just a lab error. Good luck!
  • gkoper
    gkoper Member Posts: 173
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    Rising psa after surgery
    Yes Rivergram, I too had a Davinci & 6 weeks later a psa of 0.3.
    That was in June...my last was .7 a few weeks ago. Ct scan showed a small spot in right seminal vesticle area that appears to be the culprit. Bone scan was negative.
    I start IMRT radiation next week.

    Don't know what your 1st post surgery psa was, but if it doubles on your 2nd test...
    I would think your DR. would want a ct scan/bone scan to locate any suspect activity.

    However, it may be some residue that will be gone on your next test.
    Good luck, and if I can be of any help, please ask.
    George