PSA, a good test or not so good

Coupe35
Coupe35 Member Posts: 45
in Prostate Cancer #1

I can get on the internet and read all the concerns about PSA numbers being wrong and that some doctors think you should not even used them, but reading most of the post here, It seems everyone goes by the PSA in treating and once you had treatment, using PSA to determine if your cancer is gone or in remission. Very confusion

Comments

  • Samsungtech1
    Samsungtech1 Member Posts: 351
    #2
    PSA

    My PSA does not work well.  Everyone is different.  If your PSA is going up then a DRE is in order.  What happens after that is a roller coaster ride.  Hopefully you will be OK and not have to ask the questions no one wants to ask.

    I wish you well.

    Mike

  • laserlight
    laserlight Member Posts: 165
    #3
    Samsungtech1 said:

    PSA

    My PSA does not work well.  Everyone is different.  If your PSA is going up then a DRE is in order.  What happens after that is a roller coaster ride.  Hopefully you will be OK and not have to ask the questions no one wants to ask.

    I wish you well.

    Mike

    PSA test

    Psa testing can be a problem at times. What the doctors look at is the doubling time of the psa score.  For example if your score is a 4 and doubles to an 8 then a flag occurs. There is a more accurate test and that is the Free or total PSa test. This test has a higher rate of predicting cancer activity.

     

    Keep in mind that the biopsy is the only accurate method of indicating cancer activity.

    Psa  numbers if moving around can indicate other medical problems as well.

    My prostate cancer was flagged with the PSA test, but the number shift was very low and below the normal limits that are being used right now.

    My GP doctor expained to me that this is the only test right now that indicates medical issues.

    Yes you can research it on line and come up with a lot of different data. But keep in mind that if this level is moving up in numbers then, you might need more medical follow up. Right now the PSA test is very important and should not be ignored.

    The PSA test flagged my cancer. And for that I am thankfull.  Now my numbers are moving again and my Onocologist indicated that I am most likely into a reoccurance of cancer.

    To a prostate cancer survior/paitent this score drives us nuts, we are always waiting on the numbers.

    If you are fighting prostate cancer this number becomes very important. 

  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    #4
    Psa a Tool.

    Psa is one of the ways to help check if everything is right and as I went into 2007 psa of .6 to 2008 psa of 6.8. That was warning, and made the doctor's to do biopsies, which came back with 4+5 in 7 out of 12 point. If the biopsies was 3+3, it would not been so bad, and a different decision would had been made for me.

     

    My doctor's say, that i should not use the internet for information, but I disagree. There has been great knowledge from this site and some books that are out there, which the doctor want you read books ,but not the internet?

    I think no matter what the condition's are. You should get a second opinion to make sure.

  • foretexas
    foretexas Member Posts: 6
    #5
    PSA

    Everyone is different, I hoped I was one of those with an abnormaly high PSA for about 9 months.  Turned out I wasn't, I am 47, in excellent health and have/had Pca.  Post op pathology proved that if I had waited to have a PSA at 50 I probably would not make it to 55, or if I had it would have been a tough road.  I have no family history of Pca and yet here I am 2 months post op and cancer free for now.  I guarantee haveing a high PSA will cause you to worry, maybe without reason.  I would rather take that and a biopsy or two than to find out after it was too late.  You have to make that decision yourself though.

     

    Good luck

  • beacon723
    beacon723 Member Posts: 15
    #6
    foretexas said:

    PSA

    Everyone is different, I hoped I was one of those with an abnormaly high PSA for about 9 months.  Turned out I wasn't, I am 47, in excellent health and have/had Pca.  Post op pathology proved that if I had waited to have a PSA at 50 I probably would not make it to 55, or if I had it would have been a tough road.  I have no family history of Pca and yet here I am 2 months post op and cancer free for now.  I guarantee haveing a high PSA will cause you to worry, maybe without reason.  I would rather take that and a biopsy or two than to find out after it was too late.  You have to make that decision yourself though.

     

    Good luck

    PSA

    I agree the PSA test is not perfect, But in my case after regular exams with with a DRE showing nothing abnormal,

    prostate small and smooth did not jive with a steady rise in my PSA, so my Doctor ordered a TRUS (Trans Rectal UltraSound)

    But that also showed nothing abnormal, Prostate small and smooth, three months later after another PSA test, it went up, so the Doctor

    then ordered a prostate Biopsy, to make a long story short, three of the twelve cores were positive.

    So in my case the PSA test was the only indicater that something might be wrong and that led to the biopsy.

    Again in my personal case if it wasn't for the PSA test I might not be here today.

    Best of Luck to you all

    Ed

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