1st PSA results after Proton Beam Therapy

Posted by saxman911 @saxman911, Dec 5, 2023

Prior to my biopsy and 28 proton (1 core was positive Gleason 7) therapies with a rising PSA to 4.8, quest diagnostic reports (6 weeks later) reports me having a 3.52 PSA

over the last six week sexual function is completely normal and I have lost nothing

urination is on the mild side - I drink more water during the day now

any thoughts

Alan

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My PSA tests were conducted by LabCorp, Ultrasensitive Roche ECLIA methodology. Test results available less than 24 hours after draw. The lowest PSA reading was at Mayo Rochester just prior to 5 session Proton Beam SBRT... 8.9, where as Labcorp and Quest both measured between 10.5 and 12.

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PSA was 2.9 before my five proton radiation treatments at Mayo Phoenix for my Gleason 7. My 90-day PSA follow up was undetectable, so they said see you in at the nine-month mark. I am urinating better than before treatment, but I did have some rectal bleeding starting at day 140 even with the SpaceOar gel. Just streaks on the feces after my second bowel movement of the day and then had a pink toilet twice about a week apart but nothing in three weeks now. So, I am waiting till Jan. 17th for my follow PSA and visit. You get the PSA test, and they have results in a couple of hours and then you see the oncology nurse.

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Very interesting in these reports. I had 28 radiation treatments and the Eligard shot back in the Spring.
PSA was 5.7 before....0.2 now. Many UTIs since, ongoing antibiotics. LOTS of peeing. On Flomax too.

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Quest does not require a doctors approval as long as you pay for it. I do mine every 3 months because I am on TRT.

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@jc76

ozelli, I would be positive you had such as drastic reduction in your PSA 11 weeks after treatment. This is the 3 month mark most are done at. I am told that it takes sometimes a year or more to get to the lowest mark you are going to get. Everyone is different in their recovery.

My PCP told me the prostrate is still pretty irritated after being radiated and thus they are looking for reduction after the tests. My oncologist/radiologist said the same think they are looking for reduction in PSA and only get concern if significant raise in PSA. I see from several posts that those who had hormone treatments and ADT their 3 month marks are lower than most who don't have ADT. Just my observation and don't know if medically means something.

You are correct PSA bounces are normal. Many things can cause the PSA bounce and not cancer so it is the test results over time. I am having my second one this week on Friday. I am just hoping for a reduction.

Remember watch what you do prior to test. I was told to not bike ride or have vigorous sex a week prior to test. The bike I understand as can cause prostrate irritation. I don't know why the vigorous sex is on there and what that means but I did not ask either.

Good Luck and let us know how you did!

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My numbers were 17.5 at treatment, 4.33 at about 3 months and 2.67 at 5 months.

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According to this trial, the 6 month nadir for those without ADT was 2.2.

There isn't a lot of data for those who chose to forgo ADT, so I thought it may be a useful statistic to make public here.

https://dailynews.ascopubs.org/do/psa-nadir-6-months-after-radiotherapy-strongly-prognostic-long-term-survival-patients
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@q95oldies

Very interesting in these reports. I had 28 radiation treatments and the Eligard shot back in the Spring.
PSA was 5.7 before....0.2 now. Many UTIs since, ongoing antibiotics. LOTS of peeing. On Flomax too.

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q95oldies, When I was going through setting up my radiations treatments and having the space/oar and markers done. They recommended I drink cranberry juice each day to reduce chances of UTIs.

UFPTI was doing my procedures and does enormous amounts of research. I could not drink the cranberry juice (not cocktail) as too tart. I asked about taking a supplement and said that was fine. I did that and did not have an issue with UTI.

I did read elsewhere that cranberry does inhibit UTI and had something to do with acidity in urine track. Not sure your provider recommends this or want you to take it but you might asked about it.
Good luck!

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@jc76

q95oldies, When I was going through setting up my radiations treatments and having the space/oar and markers done. They recommended I drink cranberry juice each day to reduce chances of UTIs.

UFPTI was doing my procedures and does enormous amounts of research. I could not drink the cranberry juice (not cocktail) as too tart. I asked about taking a supplement and said that was fine. I did that and did not have an issue with UTI.

I did read elsewhere that cranberry does inhibit UTI and had something to do with acidity in urine track. Not sure your provider recommends this or want you to take it but you might asked about it.
Good luck!

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no uti here-no burning - very good flow. I just love water. Thanks for sharing

Alan

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@jc76

q95oldies, When I was going through setting up my radiations treatments and having the space/oar and markers done. They recommended I drink cranberry juice each day to reduce chances of UTIs.

UFPTI was doing my procedures and does enormous amounts of research. I could not drink the cranberry juice (not cocktail) as too tart. I asked about taking a supplement and said that was fine. I did that and did not have an issue with UTI.

I did read elsewhere that cranberry does inhibit UTI and had something to do with acidity in urine track. Not sure your provider recommends this or want you to take it but you might asked about it.
Good luck!

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Good points there for sure, also Saxman's comment on water. Can't drink enough. Keep the system flushed. On the cranberry, we have that in the fridge all the time. When looking that up, I see 2 different opinions, which is odd. One says it's great for UTIs, and another claims it's an irritant to the bladder. How do you know what to do. I get few answers from my Drs. Nurses have been great.

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I had a run of UTI's in fall of 2020 between my dealing with BPH and before high PSA's leading to the prostate cancer Dx.
So I tried un-modified cranberry juice (a little hard to find among all the "pop" cran-juices).
It was was too tart for me. So I diluted it with water 1:1 and added sweetener.
That was good and I didn't get the load of sugars and other flavor modifiers the cranberry blends contained.

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