declining psa

[Fransella]

I’m 8 years post RP and my PSA has gradually been going up over the past 6 years. When it hit 0.1 I saw a radiation oncologist to discuss options. He said I had a biochemical recurrence but is happy to monitor things and would only consider recommending salvage radiation when I get closer to 0.2.

However my latest PSA went down to 0.06.

Has anyone had any experience like this?

i haven’t been able to find out any explanation in my various Internet searches.

[Steve507]

I rarely hear of PSA going down! Were you using the same PSA assay or test?

[Fransella in reply to Steve507]

Yes my psa post radical prostatectomy has bounced around a bit. Here is my history of tests post the RO- all done at the same laboratory presumably using the same test and equipment:

29/12/2015 (2 weeks after the RO)

0.22

25/1/2016

<0.01

18/4/2016

<0.02

9/11/2016

<0.03

2/2/2017

<0.02

3/4/2017

<0.01

17/10/2017

0.01

14/2/2018

0.02

26/5/2018

0.02

13/9/2018

0.02

10/1/2019

0.02

2/5/2019

0.03

4/9/2019

0.03

24/2/2020

0.04

3/8/2020

0.03

9/11/2020

0.04

7/12/2020

0.03

6/9/2021

0.06

21/1/2022

0.08

5/10/2022

0.06

9/1/2023

0.1

27/6/2023

0.06

29/9/2023

0.09

[Steve507 in reply to Fransella]

Thanks for the reply! Bounced around but ultimately upward readings. And only treatment was Radiotherapy? Best

[Fransella in reply to Steve507]

No I have had no treatment at all since the radical prostatectomy. Everything you read about biochemical recurrence assumes psa just in one direction-up. Mine is certainly going up as a trend but it does bounce around a bit. An explanation would make me feel more confident about deciding on further treatment if any. Chances are if I haves PSMA it will show nothing so I would then be signing up for SRT just on the probability that I may have pc in the prostate bed. The likelihood of permanent side effects makes me want to have a greater certainty that it is what I need before I take that leap.

Great to see you are doing really well Post SRT. Cheers

[Steve507]

Thanks for sharing on PSA rise.

PSA of 0.02 is considered Biochemical Recurrence but just how the medical profession arrived at 0.2 as BCR has never been explained to me in a scientific way. Seems an educated guess!

Anyone care to take this one on?

Thanks

[Steve507 in reply to Steve507]

PSA typo correction *0.2