1. < Prostate Cancer
Profile picture for mikeg73

Could Use Some Advice on Rising PSA

Posted by mikeg73 @mikeg73, 1 day ago

Hello, I'm a 53 yr old male that just returned from my wellness visit with my Primary Doctor and I have my blood work results.

My PSA result is 2.838. Last year (almost to the exact day) it was 2.004. Two years ago in 2023 it was 1.4. So it essentially doubled in 3 years from 1.4 to 2.8.

My Doctor doesn't even mention it or make any note of it because it's still in the middle of the normal range (0 - 4) on the test result chart.

I'm more concerned because I have a cousin that was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 57 years old in 2023, which is what prompted me to get mine checked at that time. The indicator for him was escalating PSA (over 5 when they diagnosed him). My grandfather also had prostate cancer but it was diagnosed in his late 60 or early 70s.

I brought my concern with my doctor in an email exchange and he said we will continue to track it and if it goes higher than 4.0 he would schedule an MRI.

I don't have any symptoms other than pee a lot at night, but I drink a lot of fluids before bed (40oz or more). I don't have any blood in urine, semen, or any trouble with flow.

I only get my PSA test done yearly as part of my annual physical, and I don't want to wait another year given the rise.

My plan is to schedule another test in 6 months and if it's any higher I will schedule an appointment with a Urologist.

Does my plan sound reasonable? Am I over-worrying?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

Profile picture for mikeg73
mikeg73 | @mikeg73 | 7 hours ago
In reply to @jeffmarc "I also think you should see a urologist. The fact that your grandfather had prostate cancer..." + (show)
Profile picture for Jeff Marchi @jeffmarc

I also think you should see a urologist. The fact that your grandfather had prostate cancer more than doubled your chance of having it. Most people get it around the age your grandfather was diagnosed with it.

Were there any other cancers in the family line that your grandfather was in?. Is that your mother or your father’s Parent. You are pretty young to have prostate cancer, but I can understand your concern. Other cancers in that family line could point to a genetic issue. Your PSA is low, however, a really good thing.

Jump to this post

@jeffmarc Hello Jeff,

My grandfather that died of prostate cancer was on my mother's side, and my cousin who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 56 was my mother's sister's son. So it appears to be on my mother side.

Interestingly, my father had battled high PSAs all of his life from 65 and beyond. I remember having the conversation with him. His remember him saying his PSA was an 8, then 11. He went and seen a Urologist and got DRE and biopsies and nothing was ever found. Then after a while he just never went back. I don't know the final answer on that, or if he was asked to do more follow-ups. He did pass away due to cancer 13 years later and I asked the doctor if this could have started in his prostate but the doctor told me he died of a "smokers cancer" type. My father smoked for 43 years. The cancer my father had that killed him at 78 gave him no warning. He was 77 and moving furniture out of the basement by himself - very strong with no symptoms. He dies in literally 7 months of diagnosis. Never had any pain, even at the end.

My father's also had 2 other son's with a different mother than mine, but neither of them had prostate cancer and they're in their 70s now.

I made an appointment with my PCP for tomorrow to order a PSE test. I'll happily pay for it. then wait to see those results. If it comes back indicating I likely do have cancer, I'll immediately get an appointment at our UoM Urology clinic. If it comes back that I likely don't have cancer, I'll opt to monitor every 6 months through my PCP.

Does that plan sound reasonable at this point?

REPLY
2 replies
Profile picture for Jeff Marchi
Jeff Marchi | @jeffmarc | 6 hours ago
In reply to @mikeg73 "@jeffmarc Hello Jeff, My grandfather that died of prostate cancer was on my mother's side, and..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikeg73 @mikeg73

@jeffmarc Hello Jeff,

My grandfather that died of prostate cancer was on my mother's side, and my cousin who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 56 was my mother's sister's son. So it appears to be on my mother side.

Interestingly, my father had battled high PSAs all of his life from 65 and beyond. I remember having the conversation with him. His remember him saying his PSA was an 8, then 11. He went and seen a Urologist and got DRE and biopsies and nothing was ever found. Then after a while he just never went back. I don't know the final answer on that, or if he was asked to do more follow-ups. He did pass away due to cancer 13 years later and I asked the doctor if this could have started in his prostate but the doctor told me he died of a "smokers cancer" type. My father smoked for 43 years. The cancer my father had that killed him at 78 gave him no warning. He was 77 and moving furniture out of the basement by himself - very strong with no symptoms. He dies in literally 7 months of diagnosis. Never had any pain, even at the end.

My father's also had 2 other son's with a different mother than mine, but neither of them had prostate cancer and they're in their 70s now.

I made an appointment with my PCP for tomorrow to order a PSE test. I'll happily pay for it. then wait to see those results. If it comes back indicating I likely do have cancer, I'll immediately get an appointment at our UoM Urology clinic. If it comes back that I likely don't have cancer, I'll opt to monitor every 6 months through my PCP.

Does that plan sound reasonable at this point?

Jump to this post

@mikeg73
The PSE test is a good way to find out whether or not a biopsy is needed.

The grandfather, passing down the prostate cancer risk your cousins passed it down to you just the same. It would’ve been interesting to see what a biopsy of your father’s prostate would’ve shown when he died. That rising PSA is not normal though it could be BPH or a very large prostate.

People definitely get prostate cancer in the lung. Was just reading an article where they were removing that part of the lung that had it in order to resolve the problem long-term.

REPLY
Profile picture for jim18
jim18 | @jim18 | 5 hours ago
In reply to @mikeg73 "@jeffmarc Hello Jeff, My grandfather that died of prostate cancer was on my mother's side, and..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikeg73 @mikeg73

@jeffmarc Hello Jeff,

My grandfather that died of prostate cancer was on my mother's side, and my cousin who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 56 was my mother's sister's son. So it appears to be on my mother side.

Interestingly, my father had battled high PSAs all of his life from 65 and beyond. I remember having the conversation with him. His remember him saying his PSA was an 8, then 11. He went and seen a Urologist and got DRE and biopsies and nothing was ever found. Then after a while he just never went back. I don't know the final answer on that, or if he was asked to do more follow-ups. He did pass away due to cancer 13 years later and I asked the doctor if this could have started in his prostate but the doctor told me he died of a "smokers cancer" type. My father smoked for 43 years. The cancer my father had that killed him at 78 gave him no warning. He was 77 and moving furniture out of the basement by himself - very strong with no symptoms. He dies in literally 7 months of diagnosis. Never had any pain, even at the end.

My father's also had 2 other son's with a different mother than mine, but neither of them had prostate cancer and they're in their 70s now.

I made an appointment with my PCP for tomorrow to order a PSE test. I'll happily pay for it. then wait to see those results. If it comes back indicating I likely do have cancer, I'll immediately get an appointment at our UoM Urology clinic. If it comes back that I likely don't have cancer, I'll opt to monitor every 6 months through my PCP.

Does that plan sound reasonable at this point?

Jump to this post

@mikeg73 Yes, sounds like a plan. Still have the PSE test submitted to insurance and appeal if denied. A lot of commercial insurance is denied just because most do not appeal. I had 5 denials reversed on appeal from prostate cancer diagnosis through treatment usually when it went to external review.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.