Just got this test back but what does it mean ?
Testosterone was <3, normal range 264- 916 flag L
Testosterone % free & weakly bound 14,9 %, standard range 9,0- 46%
Testost.,F$W bound male my value <0.4, standard range 40.0 - 250.0 flag L
So, what does this mean in prostate cancer terms, first time I have had this test, is it bad or good ? Currently on eligard and arbitrone, real possibility of getting in on thd Arrow study 2. Thank you for deciphering this.
It means your testosterone is a castration levels (below 50 and better below 20). In this situation the other values are meaningless.
Not sure why you tested for anything other than testosterone, which is where you want it to be.
Could the arrow study needs the other information and the PSA is slowly rising that is why I went for the study.
Makes sense.
Your total testosterone is < 3 ng/dl (looking at the range I assume the units are ng/dl). That's very good for ADT.
A portion of testosterone is unbound. It is called free testosterone and a portion is bound to albumin and is called weakly bound testosterone. A large part of it is bound tightly to SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin).
A picture explains the makeup better than I can with words.
Thank you, only question is how that related to the rising PSA when in arbitrone, I should qualify for the arrow study 2 with different meds. So the rising PSA is related to the cancer activity ? This is the first and only test I have taken since chemo in 2018, all the rest had been the standard tests. Glad it is low and normal while on ADT, this site is great for information that throws curve balls at us.
Cancer definitely throws us curves. Guess that's life. Man, my life is so different than what I anticipated. But enough of that.I think you probably have some cancer activity. The PSA isn't being stimulated by TT. PSA isn't precisely prostate-specific but only a little is made in adrenals, etc. And most of that is blocked by Zytiga (CYP17 inhibitor). Are you taking Zytiga? I don't recall the details of that trial. Were they using Xtandi or Zytiga? Zytiga blocks the production but Xtandi should nullify most of the extra T by blocking the ARs. Both are really cool drugs.
Does the arrow trial use some type of PSMA, iodine, RT?
Please keep us up to date on how it goes. If my therapy fails I'll be looking for the next step.
And the specifics are best answered by a knowledgeable MO. Most of them are going to be specializing in cancer so they might not know as much about hormones. So continue to ask here if you have questions.
Best of luck! Russ
Yes, abitrone for about 2 years, the arrow uses xtandi and if I get lucky they also use I-131 as an infusion every 8 weeks to kill cancer cells.
Free testosterone
DHEA to increase free testosterone?
Testosterone gradually going down while PSA gradually going up (I'm not currently on any treatment) 
