| Leonard Evens 2004-10-04, 2:21 am |
| MB wrote:
> OK George and Len:
>
> Let me revise my scenario.
>
> George --- I'm assuming a negative DRE (nothing found).
>
> Let's now also assume a more modest rise in my PSA.
>
> So, what do I then do.
>
> BTW, here are my ACTUAL PSA results. I consider them normal for me (I am
> 58). Does it appear normal or should I be worried (just sort of curious what
> you think; I might add my family doctor and my urologist consider it quite
> normal):
> DATE PSA
> 3-04 2.15
> 2-03 2.0
> 11-01 2.1
> 10-00 2
> 10-99 1.7
> 10-98 1.6
> 10-97 1.5
> 10-96 1.3
> 6-95 1.2
I am not a physician, but it looks like BHP to me. There doesn't seem
to be a steady rise, but the overall trend since 1995 is about .95/9 =
..15 ng/ml per year. The cutoff point is 0.75 ng/mll per year over a two
year period. You are well below that.
For perspective, let me describe what happened to me. I started in the
early 90s at about your age. My PSA values fluctuated from 1.7 to 2.6
until 1998 and then in a two year period they went from 2.6 to 3.3 and
then to 4.5. (Actually a subsequent test showed only 3.8.) That was
above the threshhold but not by a whole lot, particularly keeping in
mind the 3.8 reading. My urologist said I could either keep doing PSAs
every few months to see what happened or have a biopsy then. He thought
the biopsy might make more sense because "it would put my mind at rest".
So when I chose biopsy, I think he was slightly surprised that I had
at Gleason 7=3+4 cancer found in four of six samples on one side. I had
an RP and it appears from the post surgical biopsy and from subsequent
PSA tests that we got it in time. Anyway, the upshot is that if the
PSA starts rising enough to be of concern, it will probably be fairly
obvious. Since that hasn't happened yet, don't assume it is going to
happen and just keep calm. However, it may in a few years go over 2.5
and it is possible at that point your urologist may want to do a biopsy.
But it is much more likely than not that such a biopsy won't come up
with anything.
If you live long enough and don't ever have a diagnosis of prostate
cancer, you will be able to stop taking PSA tests.
|