PSA rise during/after consolidation radiation

[marchinda]

Hi all,

My husband finished up 4 weeks of consolidation radiation therapy on August 3. He was diagnosed end of May 2020, PSA 209, extensive, distant bone mets, age 53. He went on Lupron immediately, PSA got down to 1.2 by Dec 2020. We started Zytega and PSA got down to 0.23 by June 2021. Two weeks into radiation to the prostate only, PSA was 0.32 and now, one month after radiation was completed, it’s 0.53. Is this type of jump expected from the radiation? Our oncologist said she won’t be really concerned about any jumps during this time but I wanted to check with all of you and your vast experience. My husband has not pain or other symptoms, handled radiation like a boss with no side effects at all. We’re doing scans in November anyway, but he’s worried about the PSA. Oh, and alkaline phosphatase is hovering around 50 and has been for awhile.

[Tall_Allen]

Yes, it's expected. Usually takes 3 months to see a PSA decrease. But remember, PSA isn't cancer. The radiation to his prostate may prevent problems later on, but it doesn't extend survival. What's going on with his metastases is much more important.

[marchinda in reply to Tall_Allen]

Yes, and since the scans were clear before they did radiation (but for a residual tumor in the prostate, which is what the radiation was meant to target), I’m assuming right now that this is all par for the course.

[marchinda in reply to marchinda]

And the oncologist said that the only reason they could radiate the prostate on someone who had extensive metastases was if everything but the prostate had been resolved by ADT.

[Magnus1964]

The radiation is probably causing an irritation in the prostate bed causing small increases in PSA. Nothing to worry about.

[j-o-h-n]

Give us more info please. Location, doctors and etc. Thank you.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Sunday 09/12/2021 11:08 PM DST