PSA confusion

Hi Oldtimer.

I started my hormone therapy in January with a PSA of 38. My last test in July finally saw it drop to below 1. So in my case it took 6 moths to reach my target PSA score.

Very best wishes,

Jonathan.

Oldtimer,

I do recall you have posted before. but can't recall any detail.

Particularly, I can't recall if you mentioned your biopsy result, especially your Gleason score.

The Gleason score indicates how aggressive your cancer is likely to be and hence if it is growing, how fast it will grow.  A higher Gleason score cancer will grow faster than a low score one.  Prostate cancer is still relative slow growing.  

In your case your treatment is slowing this growth and hopefully stopping it.  Prostate cell activity is indicated bt the PSA level, hence the need to test PSA regularly to monitor if the treatment is working.

Taking this into account 4 months isn't too long a time between tests.

I find these repeated tests quite anxiety provoking and I 've been having them at least every 6 months for the last  7 years.  I get a break between tests but if I had them more often I'd find it more difficult.

Hi Urobos

My Gleason score was 3+4=7. I  think I was told that 3+4 is better than 4+3  but not sure as my mind had a lot to take in.  I was informed later that Cancer had not escaped my Prostate Gland.

Oldtimer

thanks for your reply.

Again I apologise if you've given more details of your diagnosis at some point.

Particularly, I wonder what investigations you had, it is usually an MRI scan, a bone scan and a CT scan.

I also wonder if you were told your TNM staging

This indicates how far your cancer has spread.  If as you say it was totally confined to your prostate gland this would possibly be

something like T₂ N₀ M₀

Your Gleason score 3 + 4 is "intermediate" risk and yes 3 + 4 is better than 4 + 3.

Have you been offered any treatment other than hormone therapy?