Is a PSA of 0.05 good?

[chocolatelover_123]

My father had his tests done and it showed that his PSA is 0.05, is that a good sign? What does it mean?

[Shooter1]

Yes . Very good.

[chocolatelover_123 in reply to Shooter1]

Does PSA go undetectable when it reaches 0?

[Shooter1 in reply to chocolatelover_123]

Usually PSA is considered undetectable at 0.1 or less, some say 0.05 or even 0.000. I have settled at 0.12/0.13 for 2years and last test was 0.08, my lowest since Dx. Finally considered undetectable.

[EdBar in reply to chocolatelover_123]

Undetectable is when the PSA level is lower than the capability of the test you are using to measure it. Standard PSA tests measure up to 0.1, while an ultra sensitive PSA test measures to .006, ultra sensitive PSA test is available through LabCorp. I’ve been using it for years. An undetectable PSA will have a < in front of the number meaning “less than”. It doesn’t mean that there is zero PSA it just means that the level is lower than the capability of that particular test to measure.

Ed

[tango65]

PSA of 0.003 or less after prostatectomy is not associated with progression of the cancer, according to Dr. Partin at JH.

hopkinsmedicine.org/brady-u...

[LearnAll]

Anything below 0.2 is considered"undetectable" and PSA 0.05 is excellent...truly excellentay....

[Gearhead]

Obviously 0.05 is good. The lab that's associated with my oncologist reports anything lower than 0.1 as <0.1. I decided that I'm fine with that. For example, if I got 0.05 one month and then 0.06 the next month, that would probably distract me and affect my QOL a bit, even though the change is almost certainly meaningless. But I don't think everyone shares my perspective.

[ron_bucher]

Trajectory is more important than absolute value. Also, PSA trajectory is a more reliable indicator after prostatectomy.

[tango65]

A PSA of 0.05 is good if you are looking at the control of the cancer with whatever treatment you are doing. It does not mean your cancer will not progress eventually. I had several times a PSA of 0.05 and the cancer progressed until I did a different treatment. Whatever therapy you are doing is working.

[Hotrod65]

That's great... prostadectomy 4 yrs ago..not budged from <0.10 and considered Undetectable, also on Immunotheraphy checkpoint inhibitors Blockade...fyi... PSA for me is not a good indicator as I'm scNEPC which does not express Antigen.

[leach234]

How long after surgery was this PSA test taken? Is this his first test ? Were there other PSA tests prior to this one? If so what was his earlier PSA results?

What was his pathology after surgery? Gleason score? pT3 or pT2? PNI? EPE? All these factors help determine if 0.05 will likely rise over time.

[Patrick-Turner]

Whether Psa of 0.05 is good or not depends on the history of treatment for Pca your father has had.

A man of 40 who is never who is never going to get Pca might have Psa of 0.7, and at 60 its 1.0, but if Psa was say 6 at time of RP, ( operation to remove prostate gland ) Psa should drop to undetectable soon after, but it its 0.05 6 months later there is reason to believe the surgery did not remove all prostate tissue, and what they left behind may not have Pca but generate Psa = 0.05. What is important here is the rate of Psa increase, and if Psa is say 0.1 in 2 months, then 0.2 in 4 months, it indicates possible Pca in the tissue left behind or there is some spread somewhere.

But while Psa is less than 0.2, it may be difficult to find just where because scans are unreliable with low Psa levels, so some watch and wait may be done, and maybe when Psa reaches over 2.0, he might have PsMa scan to see where active Pca is located. EBRT, ( high power X-ray beams ) is sometimes used to treat Pca at site of operation. Sometimes this works, sometimes not, and if many mets ( spots where spread has happened ) are found he may need chemo. I had no RP, because Pca in prostate gland had come outside the capsule and surgery was impossible, and likely to spread Pca. No spread was found. This was back in 2009. Since then I had EBRT, and IMRT, and ADT which is hormone treatment. I had chemo that did not work and then had Lu177 last year which worked fairly well, but Psa is now rising yet again, But I might get more Lu177, and hold the Pca down for a bit longer, so I am used to seeing my Psa bouncing up and down, with lowest low level of 0.08 in 2011, and highest in October 2018 of 50.

All through this time I managed a to have a good life with negligible symptoms of Pca, but some side effects of SDT, RT, chemo and other drugs.

Sometimes Pca kills a man in less than a year but other last 25 years after diagnosis and its impossible to predict outcome because the way Pca works is different in many men.

I'm 72, and I cycled 95km yesterday, so I am in good health although I am a stage 4 cancer victim. I am concerned about Covid19 but I might survive that, and get more treatment for Pca, but I cannot be sure of anything right now. I am in Australia, and so far, things are not as bad as Italy but none of us can be sure of how things will work out. We might think those who get infected and survive C19 will be immune to infection again so they will be able to return to work, if their work position is still there, or they can do something else, so total world collapse is very unlikely, and maybe your dad will live on for many good years.

Always look on the bright side of life,

Patrick Turner.

[larry_dammit]

Yes 0.05 is good. In a lot of labs that means undetected, Mine has been there for the last 36 months and we’re doing good

[FenBenGolf]

Yes. I would say that is good (I assume he is on ADT - Lupron, Abiraterone, etc.). It typically doesn't go all the way to zero but under 0.5 is statistically about zero.

[JPnSD]

So...unfortunately it is all relative to the bigger picture. My 10 week post op PSA was less than .01 (undetectable for the lab I used...you will see people reference different levels all the way up to less than .2 as undetectable...ask your doctor for guidance). Then 3 months later I was at .05....so I am NOT thrilled with that level as it indicates some level of cancer present...and I am a stage 4 patient under no other therapy at present. Dr. wants to observe trending (aka doubling rate) to determine next step. I will find that out this week. Fingers crossed.

[RonnyBaby]

Ongoing monitoring is the real indication of what is going on.

A one time reading is simply that - a snapshot in time.

Hopefully the low readings will continue and confirm that all is well.

Keep up with long(er) term testing - that is the best approach to Pca 'survivors'.

[Hidden]

Anything <0.1 is great!. Considered undetectable.

Gourd Dancer

[j-o-h-n]

Jackpot..... Celebrate If you can get out of your house and..... go to Costco and buy the dark chocolate covered apricots by the "Barton" company... You may find it in the Kosher food section..... You and your Dad will thank me forever.................

ohnuts.com/buy.cfm/bulk-cho...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 03/30/2020 5:33 PM DST

[Mischa1111111 in reply to j-o-h-n]

I am always encouraged when i read your comments. Thanks for the the good vibes of humor. Good Humor!!!

[Hidden]

Super fantastic for now. Celebrate all good news. Great for your father . He can take a deep breath . Our PSA while shooting up is the problem . He is undetectable now . I’ve been over 4 yrs do . Good luck 🥳