How concerning is this psa rise?

Posted by ken247 @ken247, 2 days ago

My psa has increased from 4,5 (12/23), to 6.55 (Oct., 2024), to 8.55 (12/5/24) and today to 9.74 (12/17/24). The urologist die a dre exam, came out negative. He has me scheduled for an MRI on Dec. 28th. I am very concerned here as it is rising too fast. Is this some kind of emergency? Is waiting the two weeks for the MRI too long (when coupled with the next procedure, the biopsy) then finally the treatment?

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One thing they go by is the doubling rate of your PSA and your doubling rate seems to be pretty high. It’s gone up 50% in 2 months. You need to move on this, but December 28 is not bad.

Prostate Cancer is relatively slow moving for almost everyone. Don’t give into too much stress over this, If you had a metastasis, it would not be growing fast. The timing is not horrible. Yes, you want to get a biopsy soon after the MRI if it shows something.

Your problem could be BPH. That’s more easily treatable.

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@jeffmarc

One thing they go by is the doubling rate of your PSA and your doubling rate seems to be pretty high. It’s gone up 50% in 2 months. You need to move on this, but December 28 is not bad.

Prostate Cancer is relatively slow moving for almost everyone. Don’t give into too much stress over this, If you had a metastasis, it would not be growing fast. The timing is not horrible. Yes, you want to get a biopsy soon after the MRI if it shows something.

Your problem could be BPH. That’s more easily treatable.

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I forgot to mention, he did a dre and it was normal and my last prostate measurement (2016) was 60cc.

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@ken247

I forgot to mention, he did a dre and it was normal and my last prostate measurement (2016) was 60cc.

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You did mention the DRE, but they can’t detect the full prostate that way.

Your problem could be BPH, get the MRI.

The PSE test would tell you if you have cancer before a biopsy or MRI.

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@jeffmarc

You did mention the DRE, but they can’t detect the full prostate that way.

Your problem could be BPH, get the MRI.

The PSE test would tell you if you have cancer before a biopsy or MRI.

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I just send an email to my urologist requesting the PSE test. I wonder why he never mentioned this test?

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@ken247, PSE is an exciting new epigentic test, still relatively unknown. You'd want a PSA at the same time.
Prostate size becomes suspect when above 30ccs. You'll be lucky and the cause of raised PSA will be BPH, but you have to be certain.

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PSA is a very imprecise indicator, but while yours is increasing fast enough to worth looking into, it's by no means sky-high, and the time frame you mention seems pretty reasonable (just a couple of weeks until your MRI).

Let's hope the MRI on 28 Dec. doesn't show anything, or (failing that) that if it does, that a biopsy shows that it's either non-cancerous or very early and fully curable. The fact that the DRE didn't find anything isn't definitive, but it's another positive sign.

I know this is far easier said than done, but try not to let anticipation of the next test(s) ruin your holidays. Every holiday on this earth is precious, whatever your diagnosis ends up being. Hold the people you love close to you, laugh, sing, open gifts, and eat way too much food. Tomorrow will take care of itself. ❤️

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@northoftheborder

PSA is a very imprecise indicator, but while yours is increasing fast enough to worth looking into, it's by no means sky-high, and the time frame you mention seems pretty reasonable (just a couple of weeks until your MRI).

Let's hope the MRI on 28 Dec. doesn't show anything, or (failing that) that if it does, that a biopsy shows that it's either non-cancerous or very early and fully curable. The fact that the DRE didn't find anything isn't definitive, but it's another positive sign.

I know this is far easier said than done, but try not to let anticipation of the next test(s) ruin your holidays. Every holiday on this earth is precious, whatever your diagnosis ends up being. Hold the people you love close to you, laugh, sing, open gifts, and eat way too much food. Tomorrow will take care of itself. ❤️

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Even though Nuclear scan showed only small spot now in T 10, I still have PSA Flare up google that which has put my PSA up from 10 and 40 last Jan to NOW 181.3

How can I get it down? I get Zolodex

Is this dangerous

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@melcanada

Even though Nuclear scan showed only small spot now in T 10, I still have PSA Flare up google that which has put my PSA up from 10 and 40 last Jan to NOW 181.3

How can I get it down? I get Zolodex

Is this dangerous

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Hi. @melcanada . I'm sorry to hear about the flareup.

Am I right in remembering that you've had radiation to your lumbar spine before, and maybe also chemo? Are you and your oncology team discussing radiation to the new metastasis at T10? And what have they told you about possibly switching from Zolodex to Orgovyx combined with one of the -lutamides to get the PSA back down?

I hope your oncology team comes up with a new treatment plan that works for you in 2025. It seems promising, at least, that just one small new bone metastasis was detected.

Best of luck!

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@northoftheborder

Hi. @melcanada . I'm sorry to hear about the flareup.

Am I right in remembering that you've had radiation to your lumbar spine before, and maybe also chemo? Are you and your oncology team discussing radiation to the new metastasis at T10? And what have they told you about possibly switching from Zolodex to Orgovyx combined with one of the -lutamides to get the PSA back down?

I hope your oncology team comes up with a new treatment plan that works for you in 2025. It seems promising, at least, that just one small new bone metastasis was detected.

Best of luck!

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The T 10 is very small In 2020 Dr McGowan did radiate 3 cm in L3 which is mush today

Will ask about Olg Plan is Zytiga in Jan and MABE a few sets of Cab chemo

My McGill ID doctor son wants me on LU 177 as it maybe standard of care soon he says

I did one year ENZ and one of Radium 223 before 2 chemo's that caused fluid on both lungs since clearing

still on POC Portable Oxygen Compressor 4 liters

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@melcanada

The T 10 is very small In 2020 Dr McGowan did radiate 3 cm in L3 which is mush today

Will ask about Olg Plan is Zytiga in Jan and MABE a few sets of Cab chemo

My McGill ID doctor son wants me on LU 177 as it maybe standard of care soon he says

I did one year ENZ and one of Radium 223 before 2 chemo's that caused fluid on both lungs since clearing

still on POC Portable Oxygen Compressor 4 liters

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It sounds like you've had a rough time, and again, I'm sorry. My experiences have been too different from yours to offer much help, but I hope others in the forum might have notes to compare.

The one thing we have in common is spinal metastasis. They had to put rods and cement in my spine from T1–T5 after they gouged out (and later radiated) the lesion there; otherwise, my middle spine would be "mush" as well. I have some mild chronic pain from all that hardware and damage, but eventually learned to cope without pain meds.

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