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Just curious: What do these PSA readings mean?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Oct 10 1:19pm | Replies (11)Comment receiving replies
“PSA” and “PSA Free” are two different markers. (“PSA” is sometimes called “Total PSA”.)
PSA circulates in the blood in two forms – either attached to certain blood proteins or unattached (“free”). The ratio of Free PSA to PSA is called the “% Free PSA.”
If the PSA is between 4.0-10.0, but the % Free PSA is low (< 25%), it may indicate a higher risk of disease. (% Free PSA doesn’t mean much when PSA is far outside of the 4.0-10.0 range. That may be why it mentioned “not calculable.”)
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As for your PSA of 0.006 (which us very good, by the way) —> For it to be considered undetectable, it must be preceded by a “< “ (mathematical “less than”) symbol. A PSA of 0.00x isn’t undetectable (because there is no “< “ symbol).
To explain —> the term “undetectable” refers to the lower limitations of the laboratory test equipment being used.
For instance, “undetectable”
can be < 0.2, or < 0.02, or < 0.002, depending on the sensitivity of the test equipment being used. (In my case at two different test centers, CompuNet and the Cancer Center that I go to, undetectable is < 0.02 and < 0.008, respectively. Both were considered undetectable because both were preceded by the “< “ symbol.
If your PSA is below the detectable limit of the lab equipment that your doctor has chosen to use (i.e., PSA result has a “< “), that’s considered undetectable.
Replies to "“PSA” and “PSA Free” are two different markers. (“PSA” is sometimes called “Total PSA”.) PSA circulates..."
You are absolutely correct on all points. It is important to make the distinction between laboratory capabilities and clinical outcomes, as you did, but it deserves emphasis: anything less than .1 was historically "undetectable after prostatectomy. A number like .05 would be an excellent clinical outcome; .0006 is phenomenal - with or without a "< " sign.
Steve
@brianjarvis
If someone’s PSA is .01 or less it doesn’t need a < sign. That is the exact PSA, there’s no need for them to say well It’s less than that if that is exactly what it is.
The < sign is really only significant if attached to < .1 Which the medical community considers undetectable. Anything less than that doesn’t require a less than sign To be considered undetectable, Because less than that is undetectable, according to medical literature.
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Thank you so much for explaining that to me. I've learned so much from everyone here on this support group as everyone has been extremely helpful. I pray for everyone on this site to get the help they need as we all go through this together.