Post surgery PSA higher than pre surgery PSA

Rvrices
Rvrices Member Posts: 5
in Prostate Cancer #1
Hello,

I'm out 6 weeks from open prostatectomy, pre surgery PSA of 62 (several months before surgery, doubled from 32 from March to June), post surgery first PSA at 5 weeks of 64. The hospital has scheduled another bone and ct scan for this week, last ones 2.5 months ago were clear. Pathology of surgery remained Gleason 9, all margins clear, 4 of 35 lymph nodes showed positive.

I'm really concerned about the higher PSA after surgery. I don't see how it could be higher when what was expected to be the primary cancer source was removed. Has anyone heard of this before? I have my first oncology appt next Tuesday after the scans.

I guess I'm wondering if 5 weeks after surgery is enough time for a high PSA to dissipate?

I sure would appreciate any thoughts or encouragement.

Thank you.

D.

Comments

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,701 Member
    #2
    Two weeks for "dissipation"
    D

    You are right in being concerned. The body usually takes two weeks to clean off dead cells (and PSA serum). At the one month mark operation success would be declared for PSAs lower than 0.06 ng/ml.
    I wonder what has been the path of your story with PCa. What was the tests and diagnoses done before.

    In any case, the doubling and the high levels of PSA and the Gleason score of 9, before surgery should have alarmed your doctor that you were at high rates for confronting metastases. Surgery alone had low rates for success.
    However, dissecting the gland and lymph nodes sets you now in the next “step” of continuing fighting and there are other “weaponries” to handle your case. Do not be anxious.

    Salvage treatments resume to variations of radiotherapy, hormonal and chemo treatments, administered alone or in combination.
    You need to research in the net, particularly about their side effects because they may superimpose to the ones you already got from surgery.
    Some drugs are also prohibitive to take because they interact with medicines taken for other illnesses. (Do you have any other issue?)

    I would suggest that you prepare a list f questions for your next visit with the doctor. Do not decide on anything without getting second opinions from specialists.
    Here are links that may help you in preparing your own list;
    http://csn.cancer.org/node/224280
    http://www.cancer.net/patient/All+About+Cancer/Newly+Diagnosed/Questions+to+Ask+the+Doctor

    Be confident. You can win your next battle.

    Wishing you full recovery from surgery.

    VGama
  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #3
    VascodaGama said:

    Two weeks for "dissipation"
    D

    You are right in being concerned. The body usually takes two weeks to clean off dead cells (and PSA serum). At the one month mark operation success would be declared for PSAs lower than 0.06 ng/ml.
    I wonder what has been the path of your story with PCa. What was the tests and diagnoses done before.

    In any case, the doubling and the high levels of PSA and the Gleason score of 9, before surgery should have alarmed your doctor that you were at high rates for confronting metastases. Surgery alone had low rates for success.
    However, dissecting the gland and lymph nodes sets you now in the next “step” of continuing fighting and there are other “weaponries” to handle your case. Do not be anxious.

    Salvage treatments resume to variations of radiotherapy, hormonal and chemo treatments, administered alone or in combination.
    You need to research in the net, particularly about their side effects because they may superimpose to the ones you already got from surgery.
    Some drugs are also prohibitive to take because they interact with medicines taken for other illnesses. (Do you have any other issue?)

    I would suggest that you prepare a list f questions for your next visit with the doctor. Do not decide on anything without getting second opinions from specialists.
    Here are links that may help you in preparing your own list;
    http://csn.cancer.org/node/224280
    http://www.cancer.net/patient/All+About+Cancer/Newly+Diagnosed/Questions+to+Ask+the+Doctor

    Be confident. You can win your next battle.

    Wishing you full recovery from surgery.

    VGama

    Specialist
    A Medical Oncologist specializes in hormone treatment There are about 50 of these professionals who specialize in treating only prostate cancer; they are true experts in the field. I suggest that a doctor of this type should be your leed doctor. It would be a good idea to see the most experienced, smartest one that you can aford.

    I wish you the best in your next step.
  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    #4
    hopeful and optimistic said:

    Specialist
    A Medical Oncologist specializes in hormone treatment There are about 50 of these professionals who specialize in treating only prostate cancer; they are true experts in the field. I suggest that a doctor of this type should be your leed doctor. It would be a good idea to see the most experienced, smartest one that you can aford.

    I wish you the best in your next step.

    Specialist in Prostate
    hopeful is so right about the Oncologist! You need to make sure that the Doctor specializes in Prostate cancer and not just cancer's.

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