PSA tests

[lewicki]

My PSA is 0.1. Free PSA is 0.1. PSA, % FREE unable to calibrate. Reference range: >25 % (calc).

The free PSA level is below detectable limits. We are unable to calculate a % free PSA.

This is my last test a week ago. I see on the chats that men have there PSA as low as 0.003 . Is my lab unable to get these kind of results or is onco not requesting it.

Does it matter to try and get the lower results and how to do so.

Thanks

[Shooter1]

My lab results go to 0.xx which is plenty. The uPSA tests cost more and add lots of mental strain to your life without really telling you anything. Even with 0.xx tests, I get fluxuations test to test both up and down. Last two were up, but not above where I've been several times. Hoping no trend is developing but only time will tell, may know by Christmas.. Hoping for a happy new year( one the dr's told me I would never see). Best of luck and looking very good with your current PSA.

[lewicki in reply to Shooter1]

Yea you are right. Why sweat the small stuff. Thanks.

Happy New Year.

[Tall_Allen]

Free PSA has no validity after any kind of treatment - it is only used pre-treatment to help decide if a biopsy is a good idea. The tests that are relevant for others do not apply to your situation. You are taking ADT and have had treatments, so as long as your PSA remains low, you are fine. There is no need for more precise tests - they will only cause anxiety.

[lewicki in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks.

My last trip of ADT was 48 months. Have been on and off other times during my 21 year disease. I

did not take my monthly Fermagon shot 2 weeks ago. In this short 6 week period I feel better. Clearer thinking more positive feelings and much less depression. Worry about to go off the stuff but am seeking some relief and be able to jump back on if I see changes in PSA. Will check monthly. I have had an onco and 2 Uro's suggest I go off ADT . Also the German doctor said stay on it. Also, the onco would do high T. So much to decide and unfortunately do not trust the doctors I see. Sometimes I believe I know more than they do. The men on this site seem to have received much better treatment than I. Onco at Karmanos Detroit had nothing for me except chemo. Refused LU-177. Sent me to UofM was refused PSMA since I still have a prostate. Even if I paid them $5000 for the scan. It goes on and on.

[timotur]

lewicki: I commend you on your 20+ year battle, well done sir.

Actually, a very low %free-PSA could indicate your PCa has not morphed into a more aggressive form per this study...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/973...

Abstract

Objectives: Patients with prostate cancer may have more of the complexed form of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the serum, whereas patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia have less of this complexed form and thus a higher proportion of the free form. However, the molecular basis for the lower percent of free PSA in patients with prostate cancer remains unknown, and considerable overlap in values exists. We examined this hypothesis in men with recurrent or persistent cancer after radical prostatectomy. These men, who have "pure" cancer in that they have no benign elements to their disease, should have very low percent free PSA values.

Methods: Forty-six men with recurrent (persistent) cancer as manifested by rising PSA values (mean [+/-SD] 2.4 +/- 2.5 ng/mL) after radical prostatectomy were available for analysis. Specimens were analyzed with the use of the Abbott AxSYM free and total PSA assays. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare percent free PSA values in this recurrent cancer group with values from a previously defined population of 413 men (225 with benign disease and 188 with prostate cancer before prostatectomy).

Results: Median values of percent free PSA in the recurrent cancer group (8.4%) were significantly lower than values in the preoperative cancer (11.7%) or benign (17.4%) groups (P < 0.0001 for both comparisons). Among patients in the "pure" cancer group, 30 (65%) had values less than 10%; however, 4 patients (9%) had values from 1 5% to 1 9%, and another 4 (9%) had values of 20% or greater. Pathologically, patients with higher values (15% or greater) had aggressive disease. All patients with values of 20% or greater had evidence of seminal vesicle involvement or nodal disease.

Conclusions: Although most cancers exhibit low values of percent free PSA, a significant proportion of aggressive tumors will demonstrate high values. Until this latter phenomenon can be explained, the widespread use of percent free PSA to distinguish benign from malignant disease or to stage confirmed malignant disease should be approached with caution.

[lewicki in reply to timotur]

Thanks timotur.Interesting read. When I was in my 30's I had prostatitis. Makes me think the infection caused the cancer.

[timotur in reply to lewicki]

Could be, but there's so many factors-- genetics, environment, nutrition, etc. I'm guessing my grandfather had it but we never knew because he died of a heart attack at 60. Congrats on a good response to Lu-177, keep on fighting.-- best, Tim

[j-o-h-n]

All of us men are born with Prostate cancer......those little bastard cancer cells hide in your body until one day they come of hiding and announce "WE'RE HERE!!!"

youtube.com/watch?v=yavsy2Y...(Not working as expected?)

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 11/21/2020 8:26 PM EST

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

Dont worry the Yanks are coming!!!

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

Good, as long as it's not the jets.........

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 11/21/2020 10:17 PM EST

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

No worry until WWII

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

And civil one..........

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 11/21/2020 10:24 PM EST

[taylor123]

Check your private messages lewicki