How to interpret PSA

When you had SRT, what (and where) were the PSMA PET scan results?

What type of ADT were you on (that ended on 10 June 2025)?

Yes, radiation damage to DNA can continue for months after the radiotherapy itself has been completed.

The PET/PSMA showed tumors in the prostate bed. The PET/PSMA was almost 12 months before the SRT began. The SRT began in March of 2024 and concluded in May. It consisted of 72 Gy to gross disease, 66Gy to prostate bed, and 56.1 Gy to pelvis. The ADT consisted of 6 months of Eligard beginning December of 2023 followed by 12 months of Orgovyx + Abiraterone + Prednisone beginning in June of 2024. The ADT concluded on June of 2025

Is it at all possible that too much information can also be a bad thing as easily as it is seen to be “ a good thing “

Many of the fine, smart, folks here who tell me that I haven’t provided enough info for them to respond to my questions, have been told the truth that since I was first DX’d the info I do share here is all I’ve been told. That said, there is likely more info in my records which I’m entitled to copies of. That maybe how I can’t get the info that I don’t post because I was never told even a stage of my cancer. I may have been ASSUMING that because I was never told “ a stage “ that there wasn’t enough info to declare/determine a stage.

Here’s a bit of honesty that may surely sound strange. Realizing that there may indeed be a stage of my cancer now that I know what I know from listening to everyone here; there’s a part of me that now DOESNT WANT TO KNOW! Mostly because I know how my thought keep me up at night. Hearing, for instance :”you have stage 4” along with all of the other details that seem to be part and parcel in talking about one’s PC

I’m doing so well now ( last night for instance, I went to bed at 11, emptied my bladder just before crawling into bed and I awoke for the first time at 4am from dried throat, drank some mineral water with calcium supplement poured in, fell back asleep and got out of bed around 5:30! Almost 7 hours with out a need to pee!
I also stumbled across a post on the forum yesterday talking about the dribbling that was getting worse before the new treatment plan. I realized when I read it that, that which was a given ever day of my life suddenly ( so to speak ) was missing from my life.
Tomorrow I go down for my 4th one month dose of Lupron ( the name on the bag it comes in has a name that begins with a Z and it is either 7.50 some measurement or 750 measurement; I will ask to take the bag with me so I can provide accurate exact numbers. I was do for the shot on the 12th but asked if I could get it “ a little early so I could travel up to Duke University to see my first oncologist for him to review my current records
I’m pretty sure that I’m going to avoid the STAGE discussion

DDL - ask your URO you could be like me . I am posy surgery 5 years ago and 2.5 years ago wit 22 sessions of Salvage and NO ADT at 0.14 . My PSA hovers in the 0.061 to about 0.032 PSA right now . My GP and my URO say that very likely I have a very small amount of cells in the pelvic area that are NOT cancerous and did not die ... so they push out a small amount of PSA over time . They said that IF they were cancerous the PSA would have a different pattern . So , they are not too worried about me and I was discharged from the Victoria Hospital ! Maybe this is your case or ? You have some VERY LOW PSA numbers - so treatment did work well. We are here for you ! God Bless Sir . James on Vancouver Island .

Thanks James, for your reply. I will watch the PSA closely as well as the testosterone. If the testosterone continues to recover and the PSA remains below 0.1, I’ll count myself lucky.

OK DDL - yes , keep a close eye on your numbers and double check with your URO on what he expects for you down the road and how stable he feels the PSA is . Uro's are a wealth of knowledge , you just have to pepper them with questions and such . We are here for you Bud ! James .

This PSA story begins around 2000. Annual physical, my primary doc (PC) did a DRE + PSA, I was one of her first PSA exams, she didn't elaborate on it. Told PSA at this hospital was relativley new, she said "Your DRE is fine, PSA, according to directions on the lab results indicated it might be a slightly high." Every year for the next ten years she took the same position. No worries. She moves to a different hospital. Enter the new guy/PC. He did not do DRE's. He was a PSA guy. Next ten years he was concerned about my PSA and we do watchful waiting. Covid arrives, he moves to another hospital. Enter a New-New Guy/PC. Hospital is closed for a year cause of Covid. Hospital reopens, New-New Guy/PC does a PSA and its 20+. He refers me to urologist for a biopsy. PSA is now at 20++. Urologist refers me to VA, VA Doc calms, instructs me not to worry, PSA go up and down. Two months pass I am in a ton of pain, end up in emergency room, PSA above 100+, emergency room Doc, bunch of test, she diagnosis me with advanced prostate cancer. Treatment begins right away, big 3 (Radiation, Chemo, ADT) PSA goes down single numbers, spent 6 months hospital bed. That was 4 years ago. PSA stays low for about 2.5 years. Then it starts a slow rise. Little by little. PSA is now at 28. I am back in Radiation, still on ADP, started Darolutamide last month. New hospital New-New Doc/Oncologist + Radiologist They are doing the best they can and so aren't I. After 25 years of dealing with prostate issues I've come to the conclusion I've got a bad bad one. But, I am still alive, hopeful, and in a very strange way happy and joyful. In summation, I am a good guy, with a good heart, wonderful mind, wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many with a not so good prostate. Take me as I am.