is there a "normal" psa doubling time ?

what is considered normal and what is considered not normal ?

CVC....PSA doubling time 'PSADT' is a predictor and has no "normal" rise. It is used to identify how fast the PSA rises over time. Usually taken over 18 months with three readings each showing an increasing rise. Regardless of the base line you start at...if it doubles in three years or less you would want it to be investigated as to the reason. It could be BHP or infection or PCa. Use the base line of .066 times the size of your prostate to give the expected value of your PSA. In your case 1.01 divided by .066 gives you a 15.3 cc gland size....definitely not an enlarged gland. So find out what your gland size actually is and then you can figure what your PSA level could be mathmatically. Just remember this isn't exact...just a guide of what you could expect. I think that is why for your age the normal PSA could be as high as 2.5 and you are at a level below that even with an enlarged gland.

For me, my gland was 38cc which is considered only slightly enlarged. With that size my PSA should have been 2.5, however it increased to 4.6 which prompted the biopsy because it had a doubling time of 22 months. (2.6 to 4.6 in 18 months)

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Age 58 at Diagnosis

I think he said my gland was 43

Im still lurking here,lol after my last visit and my psa went from .99 to 1.01 in a year my uro said (I THINK) that my gland was 43 ??? He said its not huge but it is enlarged. No Pc in my family at all that im aware of anyway.

He did say it was enlarged and given the size he is surprised that my psa isn't higher. My fear is its lower because I take a Statin drug whacha think ?? When you do have Pc does the gland usually enlarge first ?

 

I am 49 yrs old almost 50 . He said it feels fine and for the amount of time he spent in there it seems as though he checked every organ in my body,lol

 

He told me to retest and see him in a year or more and laughed. I still am concerned I wish it was lower....

 

 

The time that it takes a PSA level to double is one of the PSA derivatives used to monitor potential prostate cancer. In Canada, Dr. Klotz studied PSADT in a group of men diagnosed with early, localized disease. The median PSADT in the cohort was 7 years. about 22% had a doubling time of less than 3 years, and 42% had a doubling time of more than 10 years. Rapid PSA progression has generally been defined as a doubling time of less than 3 years. Some researchers have found that a PSA velocity of more than 2.0 ng/mL per year corresponds to disease progression (N. Engl. J. Med. 2004;351:125-35).

At this point in time, not being diagnosed with PCa a PSADT of ten years provides a safety net to those men keeping track of their PSA. A PSA of 3 years or less is an indication that something might be wrong in prostateland. This is not necessarily prostate cancer as the marker is not cancer-specific, but is a red flag that needs investigation.

Best,

RalphV

that said and given the size of my prostate and psa numbers and age do you think he is smart telling me to quit worrying about it .

 

Wonder why then the gland is big ?

Gland enlargement is significantly more prevalent than prostate cancer. Because PSA level is related to gland volume, your doc might be telling you that your gland is sufficiently enlarged to account for your present PSA level. Still keeping an eye on the PSA level over time in a smart way to go.

Ok thanks for the reply, I sure hope that the increase in size of the gland is not due to anything bad. So most times with Pc the gland doesn't enlarge ??

The prostate gland unfortunately tends to grow with age and can cause urinary problems and to an extreme urinary retention. This condition can and does coexist with PCa and that is why PSA is not a PCa specific marker.

Thanks again. So would you agree with Uro to wait and just get PSA every year ??? He doesnt seem concerned at all

CVC, I commend you for being cautious about your health, but you should not be excessively worried either. Life is good! Keep an eye on your PSA periodically and calculate your PSADT (there are a few calculators online) to establish confidence that all is well in your prostateland.