HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

A question about post -op PSA's

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/14/2008 9:32 AM (GMT -8)
I just had my first post-op psa and it came in at .04, which I thought was great but then I began to read where some of you have a post-op psa of .01 or even <.01.  I talked to the nurse for my urologist and she said that .04 was fine and not to worry it's exactly what they wanted. I don't have an actual appointment with my uro scheduled until my next psa test in September.

What exactly is considered undectable ? 

David

Posted 8/14/2008 10:01 AM (GMT -8)
David,

Everything I have seen, and been told is that anything below .1 is undetectable. Some surgeons, mine included, saw anything below .2. But, if it's over .1 I will be concerned for myself. What you have is .04 which is 4/100ths. .1 is 1/10th or 10/100ths. My surgeon would tell me .04 is excellent and not to worry.
Posted 8/14/2008 10:58 AM (GMT -8)
Common standards say that anything under .1 is undetectable, therefore just machine noise, if you will.   I've had nothing but .04's (3 so far), and that's zero or undetectable, however you want to describe it, so there's nothing to worry about.  Relax, and congratulations on your zero/undetectable....

Posted 8/14/2008 11:46 AM (GMT -8)
.04 is perfect. If the psa is .0something, you're doing fine. If the number after the . is not 0, you might be concerned. Don't worry about it now. .04 is really good.
Posted 8/14/2008 12:20 PM (GMT -8)

Thanx for the answers, I'm telling you this disease can really make you question anything that you are doing but the great thing about this site is it helps us have a forum to pass information around.

Whew !

David

Posted 8/14/2008 2:29 PM (GMT -8)
Here's an artcle I just found that explains the post-op psa reading pretty well.

http://www.phoenix5.org/Basics/psaPostSurgery.html

David

Posted 8/14/2008 4:08 PM (GMT -8)
great posts. my first psa was >.04 and i read lots of articles on psa but it great to readr all the input here.
Posted 8/14/2008 5:27 PM (GMT -8)

The definition of "undetectable" depends on the institution and lab:

Some use the criteria of .05, and in some instances they do not supply any figures below that, their report will just  say  "below .05" or "undetectable". 

Others use a higher figure.

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply