Rising PSA after initial treatment

sorry to here your PSA has risen a bit but your Oncology team seem to be on the ball . Can you not contact your Oncology nurse and ask her the questions you feel you need to.

My husband and I contact our local cancer hub and they always call back as soon as they are free. if they can’t answer they speak to his oncologist 

best wishes 

Liz & Oh Xx

Hello beta_zed 

And welcome to you from the "dark side" - although I am pleased we have been able to help in the past..

I have read your post and results now 3 times before replying and:

* I think the increase in your PSA in the May 2025 test is a combination of work stress, travelling and exercise - we all comment on how tired and stressed we feel when travelling - even for a holiday.

* My original MRI shows a "shadow" on my hip - the bone scan and bloods all indicated "nothing of concern".

* Your team are aware of the increase and a bone and CT scan have been ordered so they are on it.

I know it's hared waiting for tests and scans (I am waiting for a scan appointment myself) but I tell myself the team have got things in hand.

I think you will be fine - chill and trust your team.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi beta_zed 

It's definitely upsetting to get a rise this soon, it's a difficult thing, but sounds like you have a great team that are alert with catching that shadow and ordering more scans. 

I am wondering if you have had any 1st or second generation HT drugs since December when you finished Chemo. Or  was you drug free and they have "just dispensed 3 months worth of Darolutamide" ?

L

Hi Millibob and thank you. I greatly appreciate your calming words. And apologies for not saying hello sooner - there is so much helpful information here but it was a bit hard to actively participate during my frontline treatment.

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced the work trip, stress, and long-haul travel is to blame for the rise - along with sitting on a deeply uncomfortable, hard plane seat for 7 hours. As you rightly point out, travelling is a tiring and stressful activity and I seem to have picked up some sort of cold as well. But the out-of-the-blue rise really caught me unawares earlier today, and it's one of the few times throughout this whole thing that I've ended up having a good cry.

I'm very glad to hear in your case there was nothing untoward from the shadow on your MRI. My CNS is going to call me back to go through the rest of my bloods with me, if the surrogate markers are all still normal I'll feel a lot happier, I think.

Thank you again

Steve

Hi BW 

I've been on Zoladex & Darolutamide throughout the chemo and that's continued since the chemo finished.

Initially they were giving a box of Darolutamide once a month, but they now give me three months at a time, and the fact they've dispensed three worth today even with the rise is reassuring.

Hopefully this is just a blip.

Thanks,

Steve

Yes hopefully a blip! You really need to look after yourself as the last thing you need is getting run down. And if there is a problem there’s plenty more treatment options from targeting an area with RT to simply changing the Medication to another one. Long haul flights are terrible and there’s so many germs  on flights. You’ve just had chemo and taking HT  which is so draining, it’s too much ! !! 
Feet up - chill . Think about how you can make your life easier for the next couple of months- less work? 
honestly, my husband is the same, keeps saying he will drop a day but never does. 
now you’ve surfaced . Keep in touch . 

Yes, I must admit you're not the first to say that, my mum and a few of my friends have been quite vocal in terms of backing off a bit, and not doing too much. I must admit this scare is probably the catalyst that will make me do that.

I have had a gradual ramp back up to work (and my employer has been absolutely fantastic - they've basically said do what you need to do, and I've been on full pay since my diagnosis). So I think they will quite understand if I do a bit less. I breezed through chemo and if anything the HT has taken more of a toll. Perhaps the international trip was a step too far.

The CT scan has already been booked for tomorrow morning so they're moving fast. Hopefully I'll have a clearer picture quite quickly.