PSA INCREASE - IS IT OK?

@topf
Thanks, that makes things much clearer. Since I had surgery, I didn't know about nadir + 2.

I would ask my doctor.

@brianjarvis thanks Brian.

what is the correct testosterone reading?

@cochuir There is no “correct” reading, just a standard age-based range.

It’s always helpful to get a baseline testosterone reading (along with PSA) in order to know what’s normal; then tracking them together each time, as testosterone drops, PSA should too. If they ever got out of synch - which happens with castrate-resistance - you’d want to know.

Have you had a DEXA scan?

@brianjarvis Brian, noted ref testosterone.
Had a dexa scan some time ago, I have osteoprosis since I had colon cancer 2019. Due another dexa scan January 2027.

I'm seeing a lot of replies saying that one shouldn't be concerned about rising PSA until it reaches nadir+2 (or some other number). I was diagnosed in 2011 with Gleason 3+3 (mild) and PSA at 6.6 prior to treatment. I did 45 Proton radiation treatments and my PSA slowly declined to .4 over the next 10 years. "Textbook", they told me. Beginning in 2022 my annual wellness check showed a PSA that began to rise: .49; .74; .69; and finally in 2025, 1.18. I asked my GP about it and they wanted to check again in 6 months. I had it tested on my own two weeks later and it was up to 1.30. They said let's look at it in 3 months. I say "no way" and went to my Urologist. He immediately sent me for a PETscan. Metastasis to my L4 vertebrae. Referred me to an oncologist. I did 5 radiation treatments and went on ADT. Thankfully, one year later my PSA is <.04 with no sign of any metastasis. Now waiting, hoping, for my T to come back (pre-treatment 296; down to 12 and only recovered to 15 after 3 months of stopping Eligard injections). My message, I think it is still the RATE of change more importantly than the absolute change.