Rising PSA 7 months after surgery.

Back here after being away for a few months. My old profile is gone. Anyhow, had surgery June 13, 2016, nerve sparing. My gleason score was 7, 2 cores 3+4 and 2 4+3. All went well other than some oddball stuff at surgery, allergic to the tape over my eyes, feet totally numb for 4 days. Not cut out to be a drug addict, all pain relievers made me sick. But was back to work in 3 weeks, no pad after about 4-5 weeks. Erections at about 70-80%. No squirting, sleep all night, but do get urgency during the day. Like, gotta go, NOWWWW. First follow up PSA 0.08. Just had my second follow up this morning, PSA up to 0.20. Doctor referred me to a cancer center to discuss radiation. I will have another PSA in 3 months, but after I consult with the cancer center will know if I need radiation now or not.

[John-carp]

Hi

Similar path for me...After RP my PSA was .87...They immediately started me on Lupron and Casodex and went to 0 immediately....They recently stopped my casodex and my PSA remains at 0.

In my discussion about radiation, they felt there was no where to radiate but the boogers will floating around in my bloodstream and had not landed anywhere that could be detected by imaging. Best to you...

[Tall_Allen]

Congratulations on such a rapid recovery - that's great!

You didn't mention what your pathology findings were - any positive margins, extraprostatic extension, seminal vesical invasion, or cancerous lymph nodes? You'll want to get that PSA confirmed, and with a rise that rapid, I wouldn't wait more than a month to do it. If it's confirmed, you'll want to check to see if the cancer has metastasized before you have adjuvant radiation.

With your rapidly rising PSA, you may be able to detect metastases with one of the new PSMA PET scans. They are available in clinical trials, but you have to pay for it. At UCLA, the cost is $2,650. (If you mention where you are, I can probably point you to the closest place to get one.) Even that PET scan will only detect metastases in about half of men with your PSA. Bone scans are pretty much useless at your PSA, as are other PET scans like NaF, C-11 Choline or Acetate, or the newly approved Axumin.

You can use the link below to calculate your odds that salvage radiation will be successful. As you can see, you want to have salvage radiation while your PSA is as low as possible, so getting this done quickly is important.

pcnrv.blogspot.com/2016/08/...

[James789]

I know when I had the surgery in 2005 that it is much better now than then. I still have a problem with ED but life goes on.