Has anyone had the PSMA-PET scan? Was cancer found?

Posted by hector13 @hector13, May 12, 2022

My prostate was removed 5 years ago. Two months ago, my PSA went from 0.00 to 0.09, and this month the PSA increased to 0.2. My urologist believes I am a candidate for the new PSMA-PET scan approved in 2020 that is more sensitive than previous scans in detecting small tumors. Has anyone had this scan? If so, what was your PSA at the time and was the cancer found?

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@airportone

First diagnosed in 2004. PSA 9.5 then Prostatectomy - Gleason 4+3=7 - seminal vesicles involvement - followed by 36 radiation treatments. Undetectable PSA for six years. Since then 12 years intermittent lupron treatment. Most recent PSA was .6
I hate lupron side effects - always feel weak, any exertion is exhausting, gained 40 pounds, little motivation, my brain is not what it was.
March 2022 had PSMA PET scan, no tumor visible. No lupron let tumor grow. Will check again in six to 12 months. Doctor says tumor probably visible when PSA in range of 1 to 3.
A little bit scary approach, but the thought of no lupron for years is a tremendous incentive.

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With the new PSMA scan hopefully you’ll be able to actually find the cancer and it be in a treatable area for radiation and maybe curable that has been my hope. Have also had 42 months of intermittent Lupron over the last 7 years and I HATE IT! Just went off treatment in the spring and Gonna scan in September and see what’s growing.

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I had the psma scan last year . My psa at time was 1.3 after radical surgery. Since lupron(i hate it!) psa 0.02 The psma scan found small cancer .. It worked for me.
Another note Ive done lupron for past year and really want to quit.. any suggestions

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Great question. I’m anxious to hear what others have experienced.

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Chris here from the UK. Ive had one so far and due another one following my recent 20 shots of radiotherapy to prostate and 2 lymph nodes in pelvis. Theres a series of 3 videos on Y. tube by Dr Eugene Kwon from Mayo clinic.
The first one covers PET imagining.
Worth watching all 3 if you haven't seen them.
From memory he says for detection of small PC tumours, from their experience at Mayo, PET scans will detect these 6 years before picked up by other scans. So he is a big advocate for using PET particularly for re- occurance and chasing down metastatic PC

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@hector13

Hi Bandit11 - I am curious as to why your physician ordered a PSMA-PET scan after previous MRI and bone scan showed no cancer present?

To Everyone Else - After having prostate removed, radiation therapy and 4 years of 0.00 PSA, I have a PSA that has risen to 0.2. This is supposed to be the lowest figure that the new PSMA-PET scan can locate, but I wonder if this newly approved scan will find it at this level. Can anyone comment on whether they had this scan at around 0.2 , and what was the result? Was the cancer located? Hector13

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Bandit,
I had surgery a year and a half ago(robotic in March of 2021) a psma scan detected cancer in 1 lymph node. I started lupron a year ago July. I had 37 radation treatments in Oct/Nov fall of 2022 my psma scan indicated the lymph node. Ive been at 0.02 psa since January. I understand that is lowest possible reading. My gleason score(interesting word score!) is 9.

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@chicoman

I had the psma scan last year . My psa at time was 1.3 after radical surgery. Since lupron(i hate it!) psa 0.02 The psma scan found small cancer .. It worked for me.
Another note Ive done lupron for past year and really want to quit.. any suggestions

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You have left out a lot of info so difficult to answer your question. Was the cancer that was found treated with radiation? Was it in an area that could receive radiation? Before my reoccurrence cancer was found I received intermittent Lupron giving my body time to recover some and feel better. I too HATE LUPRON. It is nasty stuff and I have made a decision to quit it for the time being.

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@chicoman

I had the psma scan last year . My psa at time was 1.3 after radical surgery. Since lupron(i hate it!) psa 0.02 The psma scan found small cancer .. It worked for me.
Another note Ive done lupron for past year and really want to quit.. any suggestions

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Your story is almost identical to mine. Although I was not able to get the PSMA scan. I agree with your comment on Lupron. The side effects are horrible. I would recommend you stay the course however. Lupron is just extending your life in hopes that some miracle drug is released. Relish in the fact that your are still alive

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I don't think I answered in this thread yet...but for the sake of more information...

PSA 11 at discovery 13 just prior to RP, Gleason 4/3, 8 of 12 cores, RP in Sept of 2021.
Margins clean, right pelvic lymph removed & tested clean (most cancer on that side of the prostate), minimal invasion in blood vessels and nerve tissue.
PSA 3 mos later <.2
PSA 3 mos later 0.039
PSA 3 mos later 0.091 off to the radiation oncologist.
PSMA PET CT ordered by urologist at that time.

PSMA PET CT showed nothing, which I guess is a good thing? Started 40 IMRT sessions (around #10 now) and orgovyx (Lupron substitute). It seems to have the same side effects they just don't seem as extreme as I see for Lupron, or, I'm just lucky enough to tolerate it better, who knows?

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I had the PSMA PET scan when my PSA was 19.8. I had several Gleason scores including some 3+4’s and 4+3’s. The scan did show cancer, but happily, all confined to the prostate. I’m on Lupron, dammit to the side effects, and am scheduled for surgery late August.

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