PET scan explanation, findings & personal conclusion

Background: Diagnosis of prostate cancer 2010. Gleason 3+3; PSA: 6.46 noted as slow growth cancer. Underwent proton radiation therapy at Loma Linda Hospital, a pioneer in proton radiation therapy. The time was 2.5 months.

Fast forward to about 2018 when PSA began to rise to the current 5.23. MRI was level 5 meaning the possible recurrence of prostate cancer. Note: The result of the first PET scan in prep for proton radiation therapy shows calcifications within the prostate. This calcification can be interrupted as cancer, particularly during the MRPI procedure.

PET scan 19 February 2024. the scan was from the "skull-thigh". there is a four (4) point scale that categorizes the grade with one (1) being no indication of cancer to four (4) indicating cancer.

Here are the exact findings from the report: PROSTATE: There is dystrophic calcification in the prostate gland. There is mild radiotracer uptake throughout the prostate gland. Score: 1

The report went on with BONE FINDINGS, THYROID, HEART LIVER, SPLEEN AND KIDNEY All scores One (1)

PET scan uses radioactive marker which attached to protein modules associated with cancer. The full body scan I had was designed to detect if there was cancer in other parts of the body. And there was none.

The radiologist vocabulary in the context of PET scan used the word "uptake". The meaning is designed to "gauge" the intensity of the cancer. It is light a match in a dark room. The cancer shows up during the PET scan with the radioactive chemical placed in your body light a "match in a dark room". I research the work "intake" as it applies to the PET scan. Below is the from Google search:
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"Mild radiotracer uptake throughout the prostate gland" on a scan typically indicates a small amount of tracer activity distributed evenly across the prostate, which could be considered normal physiological uptake and may not necessarily signify cancer, but further evaluation by a doctor is often needed to rule out any concerns, especially if there are other clinical findings or factors present.
Key points to remember:
Normal finding:
In many cases, a mild, uniform uptake of tracer in the prostate is considered a normal finding, particularly when using a radiotracer like FDG-PET, which can show some uptake in normal tissues due to their metabolic activity.
Potential causes for mild uptake:
Benign conditions: Inflammation (prostatitis), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), recent biopsy procedures can sometimes show mild uptake on a scan.

Small, low-grade cancer: While less likely, a very small, low-grade prostate cancer might only show mild uptake on imaging.

Important considerations:
Clinical context: The interpretation of mild uptake should always be considered alongside the patient's clinical presentation, PSA levels, and other imaging findings.

Further investigation: If there are concerns about the mild uptake, further evaluation with additional imaging modalities like MRI or a prostate biopsy might be recommended.
Specific to PSMA PET scans:
PSMA-targeted tracers: When using a PSMA-targeted tracer on a PET scan, even mild uptake in the prostate could be more suggestive of cancer, as PSMA is a protein often overexpressed in prostate cancer cells.
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Conclusion: The PET scan is the most definable indicator of prostate cancer (or any other cancer of the body). Even with all the information from the MRI and PET scan, the endstate is watchful waiting.

PLEASE DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. EVERY CASE OF PROSTATE CANCER IS DIFFERENT. INFORMATION IS POWER.
Good luck/RH-Florida