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What does "predicted PSA" mean and "PSA density"?

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 11/3/2006 3:52 PM (GMT -6)
Hi all,

My bf was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, and we requested the medical records because we can't get in for an in-person counsel until the 9th.

History is had a PSA of 3.7 up from 3.4 year before, Gleason is 3+3, 10 biopsies, one shows 5% cancerous.

Anyway, my question, is in the medical report from the date of biopsy, it says "The prostate is 53 gm in total size. Predicted PSA is 6.3. PSA density is .07."

What exactly is "predicted PSA" and "PSA density."??

I have these on list of questions to ask doctor when we go for consult, but thought someone here could clue me in?

Thanks,

Tanya

Posted 11/4/2006 7:09 AM (GMT -6)

PSA density can be more relevant than the PSA number itself, because a large gland naturally produces more PSA.

The density is calculated by dividing the PSA reading (3.7) by gland size (53) to give the density of .069

Density of less than 1.5 is usually regarded as favourable.

Some research by Johns Hopkins into "insignificant" cancers uses this as one aspect when they discuss stage T1c cancer found in one or two cores, makes up less than half of each core, gleason score is 6 or lower, PSA density is less than .1  - .15  and the free PSA is greater than 15%

Johns Hopkins newsletters are at www.urology.jhu.edu/newsletters

The books by Lee Nelson and by Dr Peter Scardino cover these aspects in more detail.

Posted 11/4/2006 10:48 AM (GMT -6)
Thanks for that explanation. 

Posted 11/4/2006 11:37 AM (GMT -6)

Hi IzzyBlizzy,

That was a good question, I didn't know the answer either.  Thanks to you aus for helping us to understand a little better!

Posted 11/4/2006 2:52 PM (GMT -6)
Very informative didnt know that factored into it that much
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