PSMA PET showed no recurrence or metastasis. Appointment with rad oncologist next week. Hold off on treatment?

[lakelife23]

PSA rose from .20 in August of 2022 to .34 in January of 2023. Had RP in 2014, Gleason 8, staged T3a, extracapsular extension, positive margin. Diagnosed with recurrent PC Febuary 2023. Should I wait to have treatment until visible on PET?

[Tall_Allen]

NO! That would be a self-fulfilling prophesy. If you wait, you will allow your cancer to spread and grow, so that it will no longer be curable.

A PSMA PET/CT can only detect metastases larger than 5mm. Most metastases are smaller than that.

[lakelife23 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks Tall Allen. That was helpful. I need to educate myself on PC recurrence. I thought it was in the rear-view mirror after all these years.

[Concerned-wife in reply to lakelife23]

UroToday has excellent info.

[LowT]

similar to my story. RP 2016. Slow rise in uPSA beginning 2019. prostate MRI Sept 2022 with uPSA at 0.08 along with recent uptick in rate of rise found new enhancing nodule left prostate bed. (0.4 x 0.9 cm). PSMA/PET CT followed which was negative. uPSA at that time was 0.1.

Current PSA is running around 0.16

In process of investigating next steps (if any as I am 82 this year). My health otherwise is good. Swim 50 pool lengths three times a week.

[LowT in reply to LowT]

BTW I was T3a with EPE. -SV; -SM; and negative ePLND #24.

[m1946 in reply to LowT]

Could you please educate me and extend the abbreviations etc

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

50? Is that in or out of the pool?

Good Luck, Good Health or Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 02/25/2023 11:43 PM EST

[LowT]

EPE: extra prostatic extension

SVI: seminal vesicles invasion

ePLND: extended pelvic lymph node dissection

[LowT]

SN: surgical margins

[LowT]

sorry SM not SN.

[Kittenlover50]

what does the doc say?

[j-o-h-n in reply to Kittenlover50]

doc said to LowT: "If I told you once I told you 1,000 times, stop with those abbreviations"....

Good Luck, Good Health or Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 02/25/2023 11:47 PM EST

[Hidden]

Microscopic cancer cells are still lurking. Stage 3, gleason 8 pc usually isn't curable, but managable. Stay diligent.