I had an mri and then a 12 core sample biopsy done and my results were all clear so I was then onto six monthly checks with blood tests .. this was 18 months ago and I had my most recent test in between Xmas and new year . This test has come back and my psa is 8 but six months ago it was sitting under 4 , I’m confused at this and now I’m being referred for another MRI .. I may add that I’ve not taken my Tamsulosine for a year as it gave me aches and pains in my pelvic area and lower back ..
Psa rise in 6 month : I had an mri and... - Prostate Cancer N...
Psa rise in 6 month
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The PSA rise could be due to BPH or a number of factors, but if your PSA is continually rising, the most conservative approach is to do another MRI (make sure it is a 3T MPMRI). Then another biopsy.
Thank you so much , I’ve had three psa tests since my all clear biopsy and the last one was under 4 . I have BPH and I’m just a little shocked it’s doubled in the six months since my last results ... could it be I stopped the tamusilin that my reading has gone up . Pretty new to all this so ?
Possibly, I'll let others more knowledgable than me answer. The only point I know first hand is that PCa can hide fairly well and it can take multiple MRIs and biopsies to find it.
Thank you Jim
My husband's PSA started going up in 2003. He had (TRUS, 12 core) done. All negative. Repeated every year, always the same negative results, until he was forced to have a simple prostatectomy in 2014 because of extreme BPH. Guess what was found in the pathology? a 4mm tumor. As Jim pointed out, PCa can hide, especially in large glands.
The aches and pains in your pelvic area and your rapid rise in PSA are known indicators of prostatitis (which one can easily get from a biopsy). Before you go to the probably unnecessary expense of an MRI, ask your urologist for a Prostate Health Index (PHI) test. It's an easy blood test that includes PSA but also includes other stuff that helps differentiate between prostatitis and prostate cancer. Also, check your biopsy report for any mention of acute or chronic inflammation (probably not if you got the prostatitis from the biopsy). If prostatitis, antibiotics may (rarely) help, but it usually eventually remits on its own temporarily, causing a see-saw pattern on subsequent PHI or PSA tests.
Thank you so much , I’m in the uk so mri is in the nhs so will have that anyway . Its strange how my psa score has gone from under 4 six month ago to currently 8 . Cheers again
As I said, it's very typical of prostatitis, and you have the classic symptoms of it.
As Jim stated, make sure it's not just a standard MRI as that's a waste of time. Needs to be 3T (tesla) for prostate. Allen is probably right but those 12 core biopsies are hit and miss in my opinion, at least was for me. NCCN risk categories use PSA of 10 as one of their thresholds for what that's worth.
This whole thing really messes with the mind and it’s all I’m constantly thinking of ..
Have your doctor get the prostate measured. The result will yield an approximate PSA reading for a prostate of that size. Youmay find 8 is predicted given BPH or suppressive effects of Tamulosine that have ended.
Consider another biopsy.