When does Mayo stop collecting your PSA?

@docwatson I cannot answer that specifically as I am still taking my PSA after being treated in 2023 but I get a full blood test every quarter as a precautionary process which I will continue for a very long time, which includes PSA. For me, even though I HATE needles, it seems like a small price to pay to continue to monitor my health as I get older. I am 71. I am waiting for Apple to create the "shine the special light into my ear" product to get rid of the needle part or Anura and their diagnostic mirror to include PSA.

I was every 6 months for five years. Now once per year for life.

@docwatson
I am a patient at Mayo Jacksonville. My PCP there was doing PSA every 3 months. After MRIs, biopsies, and consultations I chose to go to UFHPTI for proton radiation as Mayo Jacksonville only offered photon.

My previous PSA time line was every 3 months. It continued during treatments and after treatments of every 3 months. I have my PSA done at Mayo as my PCP wants it also and they share the results with UFHPTI who is also monitoring me and seeing me on recurring basis for the first 3 years.

UFHPTI gives me a chart. On that chart it goes every 3 months until 3 year mark. I am not sure what there protocol is beyond that. I know my PCP will continue to check it also. I would guess it would depend on that the numbers are and any sign of PSA rising more than just a bump here and there.

Is anyone following you using the ultra-sensitive PSA test?

You are echoing my point about Mayo with UF, they collect PSA data for 3 to 5 years, but apparently not after that. How can these clinics or anyone doing research draw conclusions about long-term results?

@docwatson
When I went to UFHPTI I was informed that they had received a 25-million-dollar federal grant to do long time research on prostate cancer and photon and proton radiation.

They asked me if I wanted to join the study, and I said yes. It involved a lot of signing forms and answering questions. Every 6 months they send me a follow up questionnaire. It has every conceivable question on it with many very very personal. Then when I go in, they go over every question again with any explanation needed.

I don't have an ending date of the ongoing research they were given the federal grant to do or when it will be published. But I can check next time I go in for my R/O follow up which is in June I will post to you on MCC.

I called the RO/O folks at Phoenix yesterday, and they said they thought (?) they collect data for 10 years, but it’s not clear who or how they do that. Seems there would be a mechanism through the portal, but I’m not seeing it.