How low a PSA? What is the new "normal"?

JackWest
JackWest Member Posts: 19 Member
in Prostate Cancer #1

My PSA is 0.2 after having radiation treatment now just over 2 years ago. Interested also in this metric. Most of my usual body functions are fully changed from "normal" in one way or another after the 27 days of radiation. Almost everything. I am interested in chat with similar men and situations. I am 79.

Any men that want to chat please reach out. Thank you.

Comments

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,229 Member
    #2

    Hi,

    Since you had radiation your PSA will never be undetectable but hopefully stabilize to a certain level. Look for the long stable trend which could fluctuate some from test to test. Good luck..

    Dave 3+4

  • Marlon
    Marlon Member Posts: 137 Member
    #3

    PSA is a measure of prostate tissue, not necessarily cancer. Since you still have a prostate, you will have a non-zero PSA. It's the rate of change over time that is an indicator of new and potentially cancerous growth. My friends who have had radiation would be very happy with a PSA as low as yours after two years.

  • Oldernow
    Oldernow Member Posts: 49 Member
    #4

    I am 77 and 18 months past 28 prostate radiation treatments. PSA has stayed at <.03 (considered undetectable). My understanding is that the test itself can't assign a number to anything less than .03 so they tack on the "less than" to indicate that.

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,547 Member
    #5

    As several have pointed out, an irradiated prostate still produces PSA. Only when the PSA reaches nadir + 2 is there reason for concern and possibly intervention.

    A slow decay is good, obviously, but a steady state is fine as well . Mine has been around 1.0 ng/ml for several years. I am NOT complaining (and hope that it will stay in that area).

  • JackWest
    JackWest Member Posts: 19 Member
    #6

    Thanks to all for sharing your experiences, detail and fine advice. Do other functional changes have a connection with what we experienced? Say with ED, ejaculation, ejaculate quality and changes, sex drive, orgasm, and other body functions. Is there a way to explore this?

  • JackWest
    JackWest Member Posts: 19 Member
    #7
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1719500#Comment_1719500

    Very similar with me. Same age also. Interesting.

  • Marlon
    Marlon Member Posts: 137 Member
    #8

    I believe every laboratory method has a detection limit, below which they cannot accurately measure. So they can't state it's "zero", just below the detection limit.

  • JackWest
    JackWest Member Posts: 19 Member
    #9
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1720269#Comment_1720269

    So the cancer is gone but the prostate is non functioning or much reduced from what was previously "normal?"

  • Buff1977
    Buff1977 Member Posts: 12 Member
    #10

    My PSA has been 0.34 and 0.33 on my last two tests. My doctor is pleased with these numbers. Like Old Salt mentioned….you will have a PSA number because you still have your prostate. They don't get worried about reoccurrence until >2.0 with radiation treatments. Your numbers are really good as far as I can tell. Good luck and keep up the fight.

    Buff

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,229 Member
    #11
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1720258#Comment_1720258

    Hi,

    To answer your question, maybe. It all depends what else the radiation treatment damaged(nerves,bladder,colon,ect). You will just have to wait and see over the coming months as your body heals. Hopefully not too much will change in the near future.

    Dave 3+4

  • JackWest
    JackWest Member Posts: 19 Member
    #12
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1720297#Comment_1720297

    Hi, thanks for your advice. It has been 2 years since my radiation treatment. I'm just trying to get a handle on what other body changes men have experienced, since their treatment. A simple exchange and dialog. Or even more would be fine. Thanks so much.

    Best,

    Jack

  • BeardofStars
    BeardofStars Member Posts: 15 Member
    #13
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1720319#Comment_1720319

    Definitely a new normal. I had cyberknife so less radiation sessions but it also left me with some functional changes. Those sessions were about a year ago.

    Since then 'normal' has been evolving.

    Erections still possible, no issues there. Ejaculation is another matter, radiation killed off the prostate, and 20 years ago I got a vasectomy, so there is no real source of ejaculate, so what I have now is a dry heave :). There's still a happy ending but there's a bit of pain mixed in with the pleasure.

    I've had a couple of bouts of proctitis which caused general tenderness and pain when urinating, but that has cleared up at the moment.

    With regard to incontinence: I'm usually dry, but have had one incident where I've had a bit of a leak. I've had a few times on my morning walk where I've had a feeling of pressure but Ive been able to power through it without leaking. These usually happen if I haven't peed before my walk, so I'm a lot more careful now. I go to the bathroom before I leave the house for pretty much any reason, and am more conscious of the need to urinate more frequently over the course of a day. An ounce of prevention…..

    At night I can sleep the whole night without having to get up, which is pretty good for someone who is 65 years old.

  • JackWest
    JackWest Member Posts: 19 Member
    #14

    You bring up many issues that I was not ever appraised of. Thank you so much. There is so much going on.

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