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Not that you would want to but if you could do it all over again?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Nov 27, 2023 | Replies (42)Comment receiving replies
I have no understanding of the thinking process behind PSA tests not being needed. After an annual physical, my PSA went from 3.0 to 12.6 in one year. Flags came out all over the place. Tests (MRI's, Pet Scan, blood, 14 biopsies, etc.) then showed Gleason 9, aggressive, advanced, Grade 5, stage 4 prostate cancer. If I had not had the PSA tests done, I would not have had treatment and the cancer would have spread to God knows where. Yes, I had radiation and hormonal treatments that brought the PSA down to undetectable. Now, it's a PSA check every three months. No, I probably would not be here or would have a very different story to tell if I hadn't checked the PSA during a standard annual physical. I cannot understand why anyone would not take a simple blood test to follow periodic PSA results.
Replies to "I have no understanding of the thinking process behind PSA tests not being needed. After an..."
I have the same opinion about PSA tests I was told this was not needed it would become a unnecessary worry .It is barometer of our prostate, possibly warning of a coming storm . My PSA at dx was 1665 ,and this was the first time I ever had a PSA test. with ADT and abiraterone it is now .014 . with a yearly PSA test this all might been avoided
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john6stodolka, Some years ago they were moving away from PSA testing. My PCP at Mayo did not agree with that and kept doing PSA test on me. I had a normal PSA (3.75) but was steadily rising. We thought it could be long distant bike riding but he did not want to take a chance on that as cause.
Urologist ordered MRI, then biopsies, then all those test you get. So I did have prostrate cancer with a normal PSA level. But without the monitoring of the PSA would never had address the cause of a rising PSA. The follow up after treatments is monitoring PSA.
The prostrate and or prostate cancer is the only thing making PSA. So if it rises and keeps rising it is either prostrate irritation or cancer. PSA in my PCP words is the gold way of monitoring prostrate.