Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

I need PSA help

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
Jeff 11
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2006
Posts : 24
Posted 5/9/2007 3:45 AM (GMT -8)
Hi My Psa in 3/07 was 0.03  in 5/07 it is 0.04. Has anyone has a similar experience & is 0.04 still undetectable ?
profile picture
Tamu
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2006
Posts : 626
Posted 5/9/2007 5:47 AM (GMT -8)
Jeff,

It would help those on this forum to respond to your question if you provided more information. If you have been reading post here you see the type of information others provide in their signature space. Information such as when you were diagnosed and what your stage and Gleason was when diagnosed is helpful. Also, what type of treatment did you have? If surgery, what was your post op pathology results?

I do not have a personal comparison for you on the PSA as I was just told that mine was undetectable. Others on this forum have reported simliar PSA values after treatment and their urologist have not been concerned about those levels. From my viewpoint if it can be measured then it is not undetectable.

Tamu
profile picture
stkitt
Elite Member
Joined : Apr 2007
Posts : 32602
Posted 5/9/2007 8:06 AM (GMT -8)

Dear Tamu,

I love your comment about undetected. Is that an oxymoron? yeah

I have been reading and I would like to know what PSA scoring standards are the members using here?

This is what I find on National Cancer Institute

  • 0 to 2.5 ng/ml is low
  • 2.6 to 10 ng/ml is slightly to moderately elevated
  • 10 to 19.9 ng/ml is moderately elevated
  • 20 ng/ml or more is significantly elevated

Thank you.

profile picture
sween76
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2007
Posts : 60
Posted 5/9/2007 8:37 AM (GMT -8)

After surgery, I have been told to make sure that all PSA samples come from the same lab. You can have differences in the PSA level based on the "equipment" that a lab has.

Regards before surgery, I believe that in today's thinking the change in PSA is as important as the absolute number. As you can see by my data, I was 2.62 PSA with cancer!

Ed 

profile picture
stkitt
Elite Member
Joined : Apr 2007
Posts : 32602
Posted 5/9/2007 8:44 AM (GMT -8)

Thanks Ed,

I appreciate your response. I am trying to soak up all the info I can. yeah

profile picture
lawink
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2006
Posts : 621
Posted 5/9/2007 9:40 AM (GMT -8)
Kitt - It's pretty common knowledge that most urologists advise "less than 0.02 as being "undetectible"!

That was our reading for both of our first two post op PSA tests at 3 months and 6 months. When I said . .what is "undetectible" the doctor said standard measure for that is less than 0.02.

As a cancer patient, post surgery being told it fell between 0 and 2.5 and was deemed "low" would not be acceptable (a rather wide range I'd say.)

I'm thinking your chart from the National Cancer Institute applies to PSA readings prior to cancer diagnosis.

;o) Linda & Bob
profile picture
Swimom
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 1732
Posted 5/9/2007 12:26 PM (GMT -8)
jeff11,


One little number is of no real concern. The key is how much your PSA goes up over how long a period of time. .03 and .04 are still undetectable. The concern becomes a concern when.... these are serial rises that continue. How far from treatment are you Jeff? What treatment did you undergo?
Are these the only 2 postoperative PSA's drawn thus far?

I appologise if you've given info on a previous post. The mind is a wonderful thing to have had an lost :>)

swim
profile picture
Gordy
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2005
Posts : 528
Posted 5/9/2007 12:27 PM (GMT -8)
"Undetectable" depends on the lab's capability. If its equipment can only measure down to 0.1, then your reading would come back as "undetectable" - from that lab. Your lab is able to measure PSAs below 0.04, therefore, your reading is 0.04, not "undetectable".

-Gordy
profile picture
stkitt
Elite Member
Joined : Apr 2007
Posts : 32602
Posted 5/9/2007 1:59 PM (GMT -8)
Hey I think I got it, thank you. The lab capablities made sense to me, believe it or not. I had almost called our lab, but you all know more then they do as they just run the tests and the physician interprets.

Thanks Linda and Bob for info on what is common practice as you get so many different answers from the mutiple sites.

I appreciate all of your info and as usual when you want good info go to the source.
Now I understand the numbers better.

I read somewhere that men with Crohn's are more prone to Prostate cancer and my hubby has had Crohn's for 30 years.

Again thank you for your gracious help in learning more about PC
profile picture
Cedar Chopper
Regular Member
Joined : Mar 2007
Posts : 432
Posted 5/9/2007 2:52 PM (GMT -8)

Friends,

I start my Micro PSA's soon.  This thread has been very helpful.

I feel the physician should have said "statistically insignificant." 

For more meaningful interpretation, such small numbers scaled in the bottom 2% of "Low" (.04/2.5 < 2% - Thanks Kitt) should include the "variance" such a machine expereinces every time it examines the same sample.

Swim's point about a number moving up seems the most relevant.

Thanks everyone.

CCedar

profile picture
stkitt
Elite Member
Joined : Apr 2007
Posts : 32602
Posted 5/9/2007 3:04 PM (GMT -8)
Dear Cedar,
I am one of your support, so know I always care even if I am still learning the latest and greatest from each of you.
Never lose hope or faith, just reach out to your many friends here.
profile picture
Jeff 11
Regular Member
Joined : Jun 2006
Posts : 24
Posted 5/10/2007 2:45 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Swimom & everyone

My robotic surgery was 6/29/06 by Dr. Menon

Cancer contained gleason 3+3 I spot 3+4 no margins

PSA has been

9/06  >0.1

12/06>0.1

3/06    0.03 ultra sensitive PSA just being extra careful

5/06    0.04 A little concerned ??

I want to thank everyone for their responses

profile picture
Swimom
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 1732
Posted 5/10/2007 2:21 PM (GMT -8)
Oh yeah, Jeff

I remember you having made the Detroit trip now! My neck of the woods! Glad to see you are still among us! Still not sure the PSA is anything more than a lab difference. Menon did a non ultra test from the start so it appears. Perhaps it's the noise factor. Give the office a call and ask.....simple soution to what seems to be a big worry.

Be well, Swim
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply


More On Prostate Cancer

Understanding the Link Between Depression and Physical Health

Understanding the Link Between Depression and Physical Health

Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Radiation Treatment

Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Radiation Treatment


HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn
© 1997-2023 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.