I need PSA help

Jeff 11

Regular Member

Joined : Jun 2006

Posts : 24

Posted 5/9/2007 4:45 AM (GMT -7)

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 ?

Tamu

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2006

Posts : 626

Posted 5/9/2007 6:47 AM (GMT -7)

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

Diagnosed 7/6/06, 1 of 10 core samples, 40%,Stage T1c, Gleason 3+3

Da Vinci on 11/01/06, Catheter out on 11/13/06

56 Years Old

Post Op Path, Gleason 3+3, Approx. 5% of prostate involved

Prostate Confined, margins clear

Undetectable PSA on 12/18/06

No more pads as of 1/13/07

Began injections in April '07

stkitt

Elite Member

Joined : Apr 2007

Posts : 32602

Posted 5/9/2007 9:06 AM (GMT -7)

Dear Tamu,

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

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.

Respectfully

Kitt

Moderator Prostate Cancer Forum

RN CCRN, Critical Care/ Emergency Department Mgr.

Depression 25 years, Husband Crohns Disease 30 years

My Father and 5 siblings all died of Cancer. __________________________________________________

"If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can’t accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”

Rosalyn Carter

sween76

Regular Member

Joined : Feb 2007

Posts : 60

Posted 5/9/2007 9:37 AM (GMT -7)

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!

Age: 63

PSA 2.62, Negative DRE

Biopsy: Gleason 3,3

Stage T1c

Prostate 71 grams

Biopsy: Cancer 5% in one of twelve modules

DaVinci April 16, 2007, Cathter Removed Day 8

Tumor Confined To Prostate, Gleason 3,3

Surgical Margins and Seminal Vesicles Are Negative for Tumor

stkitt

Elite Member

Joined : Apr 2007

Posts : 32602

Posted 5/9/2007 9:44 AM (GMT -7)

Thanks Ed,

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

Respectfully

Kitt

Moderator Prostate Cancer Forum

RN CCRN, Critical Care/ Emergency Department Mgr.

Depression 25 years, Husband Crohns Disease 30 years

My Father and 5 siblings all died of Cancer. __________________________________________________

"If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can’t accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”

Rosalyn Carter

lawink

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2006

Posts : 621

Posted 5/9/2007 10:40 AM (GMT -7)

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

Bob (60) had laproscopic prostate surgery on Sept 27, 2006 - 2/12 malignant biopsy samples - gleason 3 + 3 = 6. Follow up PSA results and pathology results received Nov 14th are NO MORE CANCER! Gleason changed to a 3 + 4; cancer completely confined to prostate; (even a second more aggressive, previously undetected cancer) PSA UNDETECTABLE November 2006 AND February 2007.

Bob also takes Hydroxyurea to control Polycythemia (elevated red & white cells & platelets) has secondary condition . . Myelofibrosis) -- If anyone has experience or knowledge of these, please post us

Swimom

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2006

Posts : 1732

Posted 5/9/2007 1:26 PM (GMT -7)

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

Gordy

Veteran Member

Joined : Jun 2005

Posts : 528

Posted 5/9/2007 1:27 PM (GMT -7)

"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

stkitt

Elite Member

Joined : Apr 2007

Posts : 32602

Posted 5/9/2007 2:59 PM (GMT -7)

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.

Respectfully

Kitt

Moderator Prostate Cancer Forum

RN CCRN, Critical Care/ Emergency Department Mgr.

Depression 25 years, Husband Crohns Disease 30 years

My Father and 5 siblings all died of Cancer. __________________________________________________

"If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can’t accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”

Rosalyn Carter

Cedar Chopper

Regular Member

Joined : Mar 2007

Posts : 432

Posted 5/9/2007 3:52 PM (GMT -7)

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.

C^Cedar

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

2 Years of PSA between 4 and 5.5

Biopsy 23DEC06

Only 5 percent cancer in one of 8 samples.

Gleeson 3+3=6

Radical Prostatectomy 16FEB07 at age 54.

1+" tumor - touching inside edge of gland.

Confined. :)

***************

Texas Hill Country

FRESH Produce Department Manager

Have you had your 5 colors today?

stkitt

Elite Member

Joined : Apr 2007

Posts : 32602

Posted 5/9/2007 4:04 PM (GMT -7)

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.

Respectfully

Kitt

Moderator Prostate Cancer Forum

RN CCRN, Critical Care/ Emergency Department Mgr.

Depression 25 years, Husband Crohns Disease 30 years

My Father and 5 siblings all died of Cancer. __________________________________________________

"If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can’t accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.”

Rosalyn Carter

Jeff 11

Regular Member

Joined : Jun 2006

Posts : 24

Posted 5/10/2007 3:45 AM (GMT -7)

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

Swimom

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2006

Posts : 1732

Posted 5/10/2007 3:21 PM (GMT -7)

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

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