Second post op psa

Is the Lupron treatment because of the 4 + 5?  I don't understand why you're undergoing this treatment, so maybe you can educate me.  0.04 sounds undetectable to me, the cancer was contained, negative vesicles, negative nodes.  I also had extensive perineural invasion, but no further treatments after surgery so far, though I haven't yet had my follow-up PSA and won't until mid-January.   No matter how much I read about PC, I still have a lot to learn.  Thanks.

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Age 65
Dx in June 2010.
PSA gradually rising for 3 years to 6.2
Biopsy confirmed cancer in 6 of 12 cores, all on left side
Gleason 7 (3 + 4)
Bone scan, CT scan, rib x-rays all negative.
DaVinci surgery late August at Advocate Condell, Libertyville IL
Negative margins; negative seminal vesicles
Smooth recovery; 18 holes of golf at 4 weeks.
Continence OK after 7 weeks. ED continues

Clock and Tatt; Yes, the reason for the lupron is because of this stinkin 4+5-9 gleason. That puts me at high risk for recurrence. Everyone agrees on that. My uro is absolutely convinced that the lupron post surgery will give me a much better chance than surgery alone...even without any obvious spread. Micro mets is the big concern. He said my future battles will be with systemic disease.

A clean bone scan and cat scan does not guarantee that a metastasis has not occurred. As I understand it, cancer has to grow to a size approximately equal to a pencil eraser before it can be seen with current technology. MRI might be the exception with the right eyes on it.

Thank you both for your comments. They are appreciated.

k

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Age 57 at Diagnosis
May, 09 PSA 2.26
June, 10 PSA 3.07 Free PSA 18%
Met with Uro, DRE +
June, 10 Biopsy, 7 of 12 cores, up to 60%, 4+5=9
July 21, 2010 - RRP
Nodes negative
Vesicles negative
tumor contained in capsule, still 4+5=9
perineural invasion extensive
Aug 5, 10 catheter out
Sept 3, 10 PSA - 0.00 (great big whew)
As of 9/3/2010, I'm 99% continent - only occasional stress incontinence !

One way of looking at the psa ultra sensative system is to consider it as pennies.
1.0 = 100 pennies or one dollar
.1 = 10 pennies or a dime
.01 = one penny or one cent

.04 is 4 pennies
.06 is 6 pennies
etc.

The supposed standard point for BCR is .2 or 20 pennies or 2 dimes

This helped me figure it out when I was first here and unfamiliar with the percentages.

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James C. Age 63
Gonna Make Myself A Better Man tinyurl.com/28e8qcg
4/07: PSA 7.6, 7/07 Biopsy: 3 of 16 PCa, 5% involved, left lobe, GS6
9/07: Nerve Sparing open RRP, Path: pT2c, 110 gms., all clear except:
Probable microscopic involvement of the left apical margin -GS6
3 Years: PSA's .04 each test until 04/10-.06, 09/10-.09- Uh-Oh
ED continues: Bimix .30cc & Trimix .15cc PRN