Another Update -- PSA Still Not Below 1

Swingshiftworker
Swingshiftworker Member Posts: 1,017 Member
in Prostate Cancer #1
Took another quarterly PSA test on 12/13 and it came back 1.26.

This breaks the upward PSA trend that began 9 months ago from 1.55 on 3/26 to 1.69 on 6/26 to 2.12 on 9/14 and also follows the negative MRI/MRSI scans on 10/2.

Still don't know why my PSA won't drop below 1 BUT all things indicate that I no longer have any cancer.

RO wants to continue w/quarterly PSA testing and I asked him, given the negative MRI/MRSI scans whether this is still necessary. Asked if we could go to semi-annual testing instead.

Comments

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #2
    A realistic curve
    Another update of great news. It seems that the curve is now realistic. I would keep the quarterly PSA for at least one more time.

    Congratulations.

    Have a good holiday season.

    VG
  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    #3
    VascodaGama said:

    A realistic curve
    Another update of great news. It seems that the curve is now realistic. I would keep the quarterly PSA for at least one more time.

    Congratulations.

    Have a good holiday season.

    VG

    Negative
    Merry Christmas, since they can't find anything thats great news.

    I don't want to be negative, But if your prostate is remove and your psa is rising, something is not right. AS MDACC doctor told if no prostate = zero psa. I would still be Vigilance in the process of looking for the monster.

    It was the same as being a door gunner in vietnam, 90% or more of the time nothing was at the LZ, but that 1% of the green smoke LZ was HOT. So stay Vigilance.

    Maybe second opinion?

    Sorry to be a downer
  • djbuk
    djbuk Member Posts: 24 Member
    #4
    very interesting video
    explains why psa .2 may not be cancer at all.

    https://askdrmyers.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/when-recurrent-pca-isnt-cancer/

    Also, this one argues that 3+3 "looks like cancer but does not behave so" https://player.vimeo.com/video/53146824
  • bdhilton
    bdhilton Member Posts: 866 Member
    #5
    djbuk said:

    very interesting video
    explains why psa .2 may not be cancer at all.

    https://askdrmyers.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/when-recurrent-pca-isnt-cancer/

    Also, this one argues that 3+3 "looks like cancer but does not behave so" https://player.vimeo.com/video/53146824

    Interesting
    I'll be changing oncologist after my December psa (post surgery)test with my Atlanta Oncologist (great oncologist) since I've been living in and out in California the last 1.5 years and now a permanent move with family next month....Anyway, USF has a great group and I will be using this group...
  • Swingshiftworker
    Swingshiftworker Member Posts: 1,017 Member
    #6
    ralph.townsend1 said:

    Negative
    Merry Christmas, since they can't find anything thats great news.

    I don't want to be negative, But if your prostate is remove and your psa is rising, something is not right. AS MDACC doctor told if no prostate = zero psa. I would still be Vigilance in the process of looking for the monster.

    It was the same as being a door gunner in vietnam, 90% or more of the time nothing was at the LZ, but that 1% of the green smoke LZ was HOT. So stay Vigilance.

    Maybe second opinion?

    Sorry to be a downer

    No Surgery
    I didn't have surgery, Ralph. I had CyberKnife radiation treatment in Sept 2010.

    For radiation patients, the PSA "should" at least be below 1.5 w/in 2 years following treatment in order to improve the probability of PCa surival.

    See: http://www.ipubmd.com/users/fred@usea.com/uploads/20091222142734_Postradiotherapy 2 year PSA NADIR as a predictor 2009 zelefsky.pdf

    I'm currently below 1.5 but would like to see my PSA below 1 and closer to 0.4, which is currently the best indicator of post-radiation treatment survival.

    See: http://fms.kau.edu.sa/Files/140/Researches/59178_29528.pdf

    So, although my current PSA of 1.26 is encouraging, it's still a long way from .04 which would represent the best proof of a cure. Hopefully, I'll get there sometime soon.
  • Swingshiftworker
    Swingshiftworker Member Posts: 1,017 Member
    #7
    SemiAnnual Testing
    Just heard back from my RO and he says that semiannual testing from now on will be fine.

    Next test will be in June 2013.

    Hopefully, my PSA will drop below 1 by then. In the meantime, I'm just going to bask in the glow (at least for now) of actually being a "cancer survivor."

    Merry Xmas!
  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    #8
    Swingshiftworker said:

    SemiAnnual Testing
    Just heard back from my RO and he says that semiannual testing from now on will be fine.

    Next test will be in June 2013.

    Hopefully, my PSA will drop below 1 by then. In the meantime, I'm just going to bask in the glow (at least for now) of actually being a "cancer survivor."

    Merry Xmas!

    Merry Christmas
    I understand better of your condition and the psa could be at 1.0 to 3.0 with no problem.

    Have a good holiday!
  • Kongo
    Kongo Member Posts: 1,166 Member
    #9
    Swingshiftworker said:

    SemiAnnual Testing
    Just heard back from my RO and he says that semiannual testing from now on will be fine.

    Next test will be in June 2013.

    Hopefully, my PSA will drop below 1 by then. In the meantime, I'm just going to bask in the glow (at least for now) of actually being a "cancer survivor."

    Merry Xmas!

    Great news
    Glad to hear your RO considers your progress is on track! Merry Christmas to you too!
  • ob66
    ob66 Member Posts: 227 Member
    #10
    bdhilton said:

    Interesting
    I'll be changing oncologist after my December psa (post surgery)test with my Atlanta Oncologist (great oncologist) since I've been living in and out in California the last 1.5 years and now a permanent move with family next month....Anyway, USF has a great group and I will be using this group...

    Question bdhilton
    Do you mean USF, or do you mean UCSF? USF is the University of San Francisco and I do not think they have a medical component. UCSF is the University of California, San Francisco, and it is one of the best in the world. A lot of people confuse the two, just as many people do not know that "Berkeley" as they call the University of California often, is known as Cal by most of it's grads (Berkeley being a city where the uni is located).
  • silverfox1
    silverfox1 Member Posts: 36
    #11
    PSA and Statins

    Swingshift....if I remember correctly we had the Cyberknife treatment around the same time frame...My PSA prior to treatment was 4.4 and steadily dropped to 0.2 a year after treatment and has remained there.  I will have my two year treatment aniversary this March 2013.  This morning in the newspaper there was an article on how Statins not only lower the LDL but also have a positive affect on being cancer free if you have had radiation treatment for PC.  I have been on a statin for sometime now for my LDL cholesteral issues and am not sure if it has also influenced my improved PSA results.  I just wanted to share this information with you in case it could be of some benefit.  I have benefited by the information and feed back that you and others post on this forum and just wanted to pass this information along.  Hope 2013 will be good to you!  Thank you for posting and sharing your results with us as well as the insight you have also shared.....it is appreciated.

  • bdhilton
    bdhilton Member Posts: 866 Member
    #12
    ob66 said:

    Question bdhilton
    Do you mean USF, or do you mean UCSF? USF is the University of San Francisco and I do not think they have a medical component. UCSF is the University of California, San Francisco, and it is one of the best in the world. A lot of people confuse the two, just as many people do not know that "Berkeley" as they call the University of California often, is known as Cal by most of it's grads (Berkeley being a city where the uni is located).

    I should know better than

    I should know better than this....Yes I meant UCSF...A friend played basketball for USF and I know all about Berkely being Cal it been a family school for 4 generations now....Go Cal! 

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