Increase in PSA after prostatectomy

Hi Bertie BB.

I have found these links for you. 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41391-023-00646-6

 https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information-and-support/treatments/if-your-prostate-cancer-comes-back

At the moment it is too early to say that you have biochemical recurrence which is usually defined as an increase in PSA above 0.2 after a prostatectomy, but the 1st link raises an interesting conundrum.

Always hope

Many thanks for the links you provided.  I found the Nature article in particular very interesting.  I wish the monitoring team at the hospital pointed patients to this sort of information whenever appropriate.  Surely most people would find an understanding of their situation helpful.

BertieBB.

If your histology report after the prostatectomy showed clear margins then this is considered favourable. If it was found that the margins were narrow then they may also be looking at 3 consecutive rises over 0.1. Another factor could be that different labs have different capabilities for detecting PSA and 0.02 might be the lower limit of their capability. 

I agree, knowledge is power. The problem is that information is changing all the time and the decision to treat or not treat is based on each person's individual situation such as age, clear margins, lifestyle, response to treatment.... Also the monitoring team can only go by the guidelines they are set, they are not the scientists doing the actual work.

I am sure others will come along with their personal experiences.