Docs or anyone else...Prostate levels?

[Roosterrusek]

I am hearing that a level of 3-4 is normal....Dad's is at 10 right now and they are going to do a biopsy tomorrow.....how concerned should I be?

[recycled sixtie]

I am not a doctor. My psa is I believe a 4.8 and I am due to go in this month to get it checked(6 mos later). Any rapid change or large numbers are cause for concern. A friend of ours refused treatment for prostate cancer. He lived till 80. My 2 bros in law have had it - one prostate removed, no problem. The other was treated late - prostate removed, bladder removed. It seems everybody is different.Good luck with your father. At least he is being attended by a specialist.

[imcarthur]

Wait until the biopsy results. I had one more than a decade ago & it was negative. PSA results alone are an indicator but the biopsy will tell the tale. As above, I am not a doctor.

Ian

[wdfifteen]

I'm not a doctor but I would not be very concerned.
I have had an increasing PSA number for about 6 years. It's up to 9.8 now. I have no symptoms and I've had two biopsies that came back negative. I have another biopsy scheduled for December 4th. I'm not worried.

[motion]

I believe an enlarged prostrate can cause an increase in numbers. Something as simple as bicycle riding can do it.

[stevepaa]

How old is your dad?

First time I was checked at 55 my PSA ~9. Biopsy showed 25% cancer. I had that sucker removed ASAP.

[polo classic]

I think I would be worried, but not too much. He needs to be re-tested again. I might not be cancer.

I had a level of 6,5, and I'm only 38, but now it its 2,4 wich is normal for my age

age (y) S-PSA (µg/L)
40-49 < 2,5
50-59 < 3,5
60-69 <4,5
70-79 <6,5

[Roosterrusek]

Dad is 73 (on Thanksgiving no less)...has had testicular cancer 2X, and in May had an ablation procedure. He just doesn't need this kind of shyt...level is at 10

[gsxrken]

PSA goes up as you age. And as said earlier it can go up due to benign enlargement or inflammation. Often they will retest after a 10 day course of antibiotics, no caffeine and no nik-nik for a few days before the test. If it is the same, then the biopsy.
At 73, even if biopsy comes back positive, I would seriously consider what they call watchful waiting. Too many stories of impotence and incontinence in older guys after the docs are done. My father has it too, and he says he wants to die with it rather than from it.

[imcarthur]

My brother was getting PSA levels of 800 - 1000 before he died of aggressive prostate cancer. He lived for 10 years after his initial diagnosis. Surgery, radiation, chemo. It killed him but it took a while. But every case is different so listen to your medical specialist & nobody else.

Ian

[A930Rocket]

My best friend from high school had mid 4's at about age 45. Biopsy showed an aggressive cancer. Had the prostrate removed, then chemo and radiation and it came back. Chemo and radiation and it came back again. Now at age 52, it has spread to his lymph nodes.

His wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer.

[gr8fl4porsche]

My Dad has been receiving prostate cancer treatment for over 10 years. Had it removed immediately and has gone through every treatment available since. Eventually PSA numbers start creeping back up despite lots of temp reductions. He is on the latest medication approved by the FDA. Can't remember the drug name but can ask it anyone needs the info. It's the one thats $2-5,000 a month depending on how you obtain it. He pays $2,400 a month. PSA went from 145 to 1.3 over a few months. He is one happy dude. Hopefully it keeps working.

Early detection is key.

[Iciclehead]

Interesting thread, particularly as I am just in the process of changing doctors. The new guy went to some length to explain to me that he did not believe in manual prostate examination and/or PSA testing as they were not accurate or useful predictors of prostate cancer (too many false positives).

Now, he is bright and shiny, just out of school and he apparently has been part of the broader discussion here in Canada about this subject.

I am a little concerned as, far as I can tell, the tests are a minor inconvenience and I am not sure how one would detect prostate cancer in its early stages without some kind of testing of one form or another.

Love to hear the physicians chime on this one.....

Dennis

[kinein]

I work in a lab each lab has there refrence range lower the number the better at my lab which is one of the largest in the states. If you go to our website labcorp.com go to test menu then type in prostate some will show refrence ranges. But this is blood ranges

[kinein]

Reference Interval: Male: 0-4.0 ng/mL (Note: This interval is not intended to be used as a reference for posttreatment follow-up and monitoring of patients.)

According to the American Urological Association, serum PSA should decrease and remain at undetectable levels after radical prostatectomy. The AUA defines biochemical recurrence as an initial PSA value ≥0.2 ng/mL followed by a subsequent confirmatory PSA value ≥0.2 ng/mL.

Use: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a glycoprotein produced by the epithelial cells lining the prostatic ducts and acini. Normally, it is secreted into the prostatic ducts and is present only in prostate tissue, prostatic fluid, and seminal plasma. PSA is produced by normal, hyperplastic, and cancerous prostatic tissue. PSA is used as a tumor marker for the early detection of prostate cancer and in other areas of prostate disease management.1 The Prostate-Specific Antigen Best Practice Statement: 2009 Update published by the American Urologic Association1 describes the use of PSA testing for:

• The evaluation of men at risk for prostate cancer

• Assistance in pretreatment staging

• Risk assessment posttreatment monitoring

• Use as a guide in management of men who recur after primary or secondary therapy

Limitations: The measured PSA value of a patient's sample can vary depending on the testing procedure used.2 PSA values determined on patient's samples by different testing procedures cannot be directly compared with one another and could be the cause of erroneous medical interpretations.2 Results cannot be interpreted as absolute evidence of the presence or absence of malignant disease.1 The PSA value should be used in conjunction with information from clinical evaluation and other diagnostic procedures.1

PSA levels can be elevated in patients with prostatitis.1 Treatment with antibiotics will decrease PSA by approximately 30% in men whose PSA elevation is due to prostatitis alone.1 PSA can also be increased in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).1 PSA can be increased due to urethral or prostatic trauma.1 Prostate biopsy can cause substantial elevation of PSA levels.1 Cystoscopy may increase PSA levels immediately after testing.1 Ejaculation and DRE have been reported to increase PSA levels but studies have shown the effects to be variable or insignificant.1 PSA testing can be performed with reasonable accuracy after rectal examination.1

Surgical castration or medical castration (with LHRH-agonist or antiandrogen therapy) can lower PSA levels dramatically.1 Finasteride and dutasteride (5-α reductase inhibitors) can lower PSA levels by approximately 50% regardless of the dose.1 Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) does not increase PSA levels.1