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Worried and Looking for Some Advice

Posted by mikeg73 @mikeg73, Aug 20 3:58pm

Hello, I'm hoping I can get some tips from those on this forum regarding my situation...

My situation: I'm a 52 yr old male that just returned from my wellness visit with my new Primary Doctor and I have my blood work results.

My PSA result is 2.004, which the Doctor didn't even mention as it shows in the chart as being in the middle of the normal range (0 - 4). However, I'm only 52 and I remembered that I had blood work done almost exactly 2 years ago (2023) and the PSA result was 1.4. So it went from 1.4 to 2.004 in two years.

However, the current (most recent) test used CMIA and the test 2 years ago used the ECLIA method, and I don't know if they're comparable.

I do have concern here because I have a cousin that was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 57 years old in 2023, which is what prompted me to get mine checked at that time. The indicator for him was escalating PSA. My grandfather also had prostate cancer but it was diagnosed in his 70s.

I emailed the Doctor and he said it was a "good question," and that we would continue to do a yearly PSA to track it and if it went higher than 4.0 he would schedule an MRI.

Taking the above into account, do you think I have anything to worry about right now? Should I be content with "watch it yearly"?

Thanks, Mike

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Profile picture for xahnegrey40
xahnegrey40 | @xahnegrey40 | Aug 21 1:40pm
In reply to @mikeg73 "Hi Survivor5280, do you know if a PSE can be done through a primary Doctor, or..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikeg73 @mikeg73

Hi Survivor5280, do you know if a PSE can be done through a primary Doctor, or does it need to be ordered from a Urologist?

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get a good urologist- check PSA every 6 months..if you see rise or other red flags, they will know what to do- usually MRI..or better yet, PET scan ( more expensive tho)..if you have cancer, these tools will spot it early

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survivor5280 | @survivor5280 | Aug 21 3:21pm
In reply to @xahnegrey40 "get a good urologist- check PSA every 6 months..if you see rise or other red flags,..." + (show)
Profile picture for xahnegrey40 @xahnegrey40

get a good urologist- check PSA every 6 months..if you see rise or other red flags, they will know what to do- usually MRI..or better yet, PET scan ( more expensive tho)..if you have cancer, these tools will spot it early

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At least from my experience, the PET is often not approved by insurance unless there's an indication of metastasis. For me, I got pre-approved because I had kidney cancer before and my urologist suggested a PET in case my new cancer was a metastasis, but even my urologist said that most insurance won't approve it until you have a PSA spike post treatment. I have excellent insurance, so your mileage may vary!

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heavyphil | @heavyphil | Aug 22 6:46am
In reply to @mikeg73 "Thank you all for the information. I do appreciate it! I'm planning to track my PSA..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikeg73 @mikeg73

Thank you all for the information. I do appreciate it!

I'm planning to track my PSA at least yearly (but perhaps I'll push it to 6 months), to see if I have a significant continued upward trend. Right now I only have 2 data points, but those are sloping upward.

However, here's another little complication I'm in... my Doctor just recently put me on Candesartan 8 mg tablet to be taken daily for my high blood pressure (average 170/120). According to our good friend Google, there are some reports that drug may reduce PSA scores.

SO... good grief... I have high blood pressure because I worry about this stuff, and now I just started taking blood pressure pills because of all the worrying, now the dang pills I take can impact my PSA score!

How do I win? 🙁

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Doesn’t matter - IF it even reduces your PSA value initially, a continued rise (every 6 mos) will still give you the info you need - once again, the trend and the speed is more important than the number.

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Sicetnon3 | @sicernon3 | Aug 23 7:56am

Welcome to the male world! My physician father-in-law once said if you are a man and live long enough you will get prostate cancer. He lived to be 94 and died with probate cancer but not from it. Whenever he had a rise in his PSA he had a Lupron shot. He controlled it for years this way.

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mikeg73 | @mikeg73 | Aug 23 9:36am

Thank you all. I do tend to over worry. At this point I only have 2 PSA data points from 2023 and almost exactly 2 years later in August of 2025. I suppose a 1.4 to 2.0 PSA in 2 years isn't something I need to constantly worry about at this point, but it did go up. I will shoot for 6 month rechecks and hope for the best.

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dhasper | @dhasper | Aug 23 12:06pm
In reply to @mikeg73 "Thank you all. I do tend to over worry. At this point I only have 2..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikeg73 @mikeg73

Thank you all. I do tend to over worry. At this point I only have 2 PSA data points from 2023 and almost exactly 2 years later in August of 2025. I suppose a 1.4 to 2.0 PSA in 2 years isn't something I need to constantly worry about at this point, but it did go up. I will shoot for 6 month rechecks and hope for the best.

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I am going to give you a bit of a contradictory answer. I was dx with Stage 3a high-grade prostate cancer with a psa of 2.5. I was having an annual psa and dre. They reassured me i was okay based on the low psa as I watched it climb annually, but then this year, they felt a nodule. My story does not change the statistics. You are very likely okay but i definitely would do the 6 months you suggested at least. My Dad had prostate cancer and I just had a feeling I had it even though the PSA could easily have just been aging etc.. I am 66.

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jimgaudette | @jimgaudette | Aug 23 4:23pm

Generally, it it considered a problem if your PSA doubles in six months. Since you have a family history of prostate cancer, I would make sure you test at least every six months, since early detection is very important for prostate cancer.

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edinmaryland | @edinmaryland | Aug 23 6:53pm

six months and consider beginning to get an education about prostrate cancer and treatments just in case/
If I could go back in time active surveillance is good but when cancer was diagnosed and began to spread , I would have preferred a focal treatment. Hindsight in my case but the focal treatments can be very good if caught in the right window
I wish you good luck

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Sicetnon3 | @sicernon3 | Aug 24 9:51am
In reply to @mikeg73 "Thank you all. I do tend to over worry. At this point I only have 2..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikeg73 @mikeg73

Thank you all. I do tend to over worry. At this point I only have 2 PSA data points from 2023 and almost exactly 2 years later in August of 2025. I suppose a 1.4 to 2.0 PSA in 2 years isn't something I need to constantly worry about at this point, but it did go up. I will shoot for 6 month rechecks and hope for the best.

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A good strategy…

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jeff Marchi | @jeffmarc | Aug 26 7:21pm

I didn’t respond because I thought other people had covered it.

You have a very low PSA not something that would be a concern normally. Yes, having a relative with prostate cancer is a real indicator that you have a higher chance of getting it.

Has your doctor done a digital rectal exam to see if your prostate has anything noticeable in it? That’s the simplest test and can eliminate concern for now.

You have a very slow rising PSA. Yes, if it Hits .4 an MRI would be very advisable since you have a family history.

I don’t think your doctor is under estimating your chance of prostate cancer, at this time.

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