PSA laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery

[keblickas]

It's been 1 month since my laparoscopic prostate cancer surgery. And I checked my PSA, the result was 0.081ng/ml. Is that scary? How are you, men?

[Justfor_]

What was your PSA before surgery?

[keblickas in reply to Justfor_]

PSA before surgery 17,34

[Justfor_ in reply to keblickas]

PSA has a half life of 2,5 to 3,5 days. If we take the max of 3,5 days it will decay to 1/4 per week. One month, say 4 weeks, it decays to 17,34/256 = 0.068, not far from where you are. My guess is that it will decline further. Check again in a month.

[Don717]

Not scary at all. Wait for your 3 month test. You should fill out your bio and see if you had any adverse pathology after your RP, physically, like positive margins, PNI, LVI, SVI, as well as list your diagnosis at biopsy etc etc. It helps the folks on here help you! Good luck to ya!

[NanoMRI]

A parallel consideration is what value will you rely on as best indicator no cancer remains, had spread. Nine years ago I chose and continue to rely on <0.010. All the best!

[Boacan in reply to NanoMRI]

I really enjoyed your book! Kudos for your contribution and courage in your battle with the wolves. Hopefully only sheep remain and all goes well with the recent melanoma situation. Regards!

[NanoMRI in reply to Boacan]

Very kind of you, thank you I am half-way through my four doublet immunotherapy treatments, so-far manageable side-effects. Imaging tomorrow - a bit early in some doc's opinions but here I am again, not wanting to give beast time and obscurity.

[leach234]

Yes, that’s scary. Way too high. Better plan on early radiation follow up!

[keblickas in reply to leach234]

But PSA 0.081 only 4 weeks after surgery. And before the operation, PSA was even 17.34 (G 3+4). Dear friend, maybe I should wait and make decisions after at least 8 weeks?

[leach234 in reply to keblickas]

Of course you should wait 12 weeks but prepare yourself mentally for the results. Why would you even get your PSA tested after 4 weeks?

[Hiker64]

My surgeon said 6 weeks would be the absolute minimum time to check PSA. He insisted on 12 weeks so I think your test was done too early. 0.008 seems great for 1 month though!

[allie2020 in reply to Hiker64]

Agree 100%. After my RP in 2018, my first PSA test was performed 9 weeks after surgery. I've never heard of a doc ordering it after only 4 weeks.

[leach234 in reply to Hiker64]

.08 not .008

[Hiker64 in reply to leach234]

Oops! Looks like I added a zero. I meant 0.08. That is still very good for 4 weeks. 0.008 would be undetectable on most ultrasensitive PSA tests. On the one my surgeon used <0.014 was undetectable.

[London441]

The only thing that’s scary is if you have a doctor who ordered a post RP PSA at 4 weeks. Presuming you did this on your own. It’s too soon.