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Ultrasensitive PSA Test Post RP
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Jan 10, 2023 | Replies (40)Comment receiving replies
This was my concern as to whether it has spread outside the postate bed. The answer I got was that they reviewed the scans and concluded it was the postate bed. When I had the surgery to totaly remove the postate, out of 13 lymph nodes, only one lymth node on the left pelvic had metasis of less than a mm. The Gleason score was 7a ( intermediate).
What is the bench mark of PSA level after surgery, combined radiation and hormone therapy for further treatment? I am yet to ask my doctor on the 19th of this month.
Replies to "This was my concern as to whether it has spread outside the postate bed. The answer..."
That's up to you and your treatment team to come up with that benchmark.
After my RP, (they took the R Pelvic LN as well) the pathology report stated that there was micro metastasis in the blood vessels and nerves. (paraphrasing that) The surgeon's hope that those were between the prostate and LN that was taken. The LN was perfectly clean. Margins were clean.
PSA did this...
01/26/22 0.039
04/26/22 0.091
At that point my surgeon recommended I go for radiation. I was in a agreement with this although a lot of folks might think this a bit aggressive. It would have likely been fine to have one more PSA test to ensure my PSA wasn't "settling" around that .09 number somewhere or it wasn't artificially high for some unknown reason.
There are folks, a lot smarter than me, who will suggest waiting till you get to around 1.0 then do imaging so that you can see if there is any cancer. I had that imaging done at the .091 mark, nothing was located. That imaging was likely a waste as I've learned from some of the experienced folk here that there would only be a 30% chance of finding anything at that PSA range.
I'm learning a lot can effect your PSA, particularly in those ultra low scales. Dehydration being one issue, heavy exercise before a blood test (which I did regularly, I'd schedule the tests for after the gym. Stinkin' OCD, didn't want to miss my workout!). Also, doubling time isn't quite as important (according to my radiation oncologist)
Now after treatment and still on hormone therapy last test (before workout!) was <.006 so with the radiation in the rearv iew for now, I'm happy I did it. (knocks wood)
That last test was about 5 mos after the final radiation treatment.
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Should be zero a few months after surgery without drugs if the surgery was successful.