Guest guest Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 I had rrp in Feb. In June I had my first post op. psa test. At the time of the surgery I was 4.7 I am now 1.7. The Drs. nurse said that I should not worry about this, because it was going down. They want me to have another psa test on July 20 to make sure that it is still going down. The nurse said that the Dr. wants to get it under a one. I keep reading of most of the people are way under 1 at their first post op psa test. Truthfully, how worried should I be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 Do not worry but be prepared. There may be some residual cancer someplace, possibly in the bed. That can be treated. Or the best case scenario is that this was a lab error. In the mean time if you are in the US have a great 4th. Stay busy. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of dstalls99 Sent: Friday, June 29, 2007 9:03 PM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: post psa I had rrp in Feb. In June I had my first post op. psa test. At the time of the surgery I was 4.7 I am now 1.7. The Drs. nurse said that I should not worry about this, because it was going down. They want me to have another psa test on July 20 to make sure that it is still going down. The nurse said that the Dr. wants to get it under a one. I keep reading of most of the people are way under 1 at their first post op psa test. Truthfully, how worried should I be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 My three month's out PSA post RP was <.1. Pre-surgery, it was 9. I would be moderately concerned. What I would want was the post surgical pathology report. If it indicates that the cancer has penetrated the prostate capsule, then further treatment may be indicated. I would also have the PSA test redone, preferably by two different labs. Louis. . . post psa I had rrp in Feb. In June I had my first post op. psa test. At the time of the surgery I was 4.7 I am now 1.7. The Drs. nurse said that I should not worry about this, because it was going down. They want me to have another psa test on July 20 to make sure that it is still going down. The nurse said that the Dr. wants to get it under a one. I keep reading of most of the people are way under 1 at their first post op psa test. Truthfully, how worried should I be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2007 Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 As Louis says, your PSA should be undetectable after surgery – if the prostate is removed and the entire tumour is removed, there is simply nothing to generate any PSA. Therefore, IF, the PSA is accurate you must have something of either left. I think it would be in your best interests to get another PSA done sooner rather than later. I agree with Louis that you need to know the pathological results from the operation – your doctor should have supplied you with these as a matter of course. Get a copy of the report for your own file. If you have what are termed positive margins there is a greater chance that the tumour had escaped from the gland prior to the surgery and you need to take action as soon as is convenient. As Kathy says, this would usually involve the radiation of the prostate bed, but if, for example there was some suspicion that the disease had migrated further than that – to the lymph nodes and beyond, then it might be best to start on ADT (Androgen Deprivation Therapy) If you have positive margins and if you are still getting a detectable PSA I would suggest you seek advice from someone other than your current doctor who is not, it seems, giving you good advice. All the best, Terry Herbert in Melbourne, Australia Diagnosed ‘96: Age 54: Stage T2b: PSA 7.2: Gleason 3+3=6: No treatment. June '07 PSA 35.0 My site is at www.yananow.net As a physician, I am painfully aware that most of the decisions we make with regard to prostate cancer are made with inadequate data: Dr “Snuffy” Myers. From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of dstalls99 Sent: Saturday, 30 June 2007 11:03 AM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: post psa I had rrp in Feb. In June I had my first post op. psa test. At the time of the surgery I was 4.7 I am now 1.7. The Drs. nurse said that I should not worry about this, because it was going down. They want me to have another psa test on July 20 to make sure that it is still going down. The nurse said that the Dr. wants to get it under a one. I keep reading of most of the people are way under 1 at their first post op psa test. Truthfully, how worried should I be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Hi Mickey, I would question that doctor again. It is standard procedure to remove the seminal vesicles at the same time the prostate is removed so how could they be producing PSA? I wish you all the bestAubrey Pilgrim, DC (Ret.)Author of A Revolutionary Approach to Prostate Cancer- Read it for free at http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/capilgr.htmDr. E. Crawford is co-author of the revision My pre op PSA was 7.4. 5 weeks post op was 0.51. Oneof the docs said the seminal vessels could stillproduce for a short time after suregery so I will bere-tested in 6 weeks.--- Louis Carliner <lcarliner> wrote: See what's free at AOL.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 My pre op PSA was 7.4. 5 weeks post op was 0.51. One of the docs said the seminal vessels could still produce for a short time after suregery so I will be re-tested in 6 weeks. --- Louis Carliner wrote: > My three month's out PSA post RP was <.1. > Pre-surgery, it was 9. > > I would be moderately concerned. What I would want > was the post surgical pathology report. If it > indicates that the cancer has penetrated the > prostate capsule, then further treatment may be > indicated. I would also have the PSA test redone, > preferably by two different labs. > > Louis. . . > > > post psa > > I had rrp in Feb. In June I had my first post op. > psa test. At the > time of the surgery I was 4.7 I am now 1.7. The Drs. > nurse said that I > should not worry about this, because it was going > down. They want me to > have another psa test on July 20 to make sure that > it is still going > down. The nurse said that the Dr. wants to get it > under a one. I keep > reading of most of the people are way under 1 at > their first post op > psa test. Truthfully, how worried should I be? > > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Be a PS3 game guru. Get your game face on with the latest PS3 news and previews at Yahoo! Games. http://videogames.yahoo.com/platform?platform=120121 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 Ask for a paper copy of the report rather than relying on the nurse/physician filter. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of APilgrm@... Sent: Friday, June 29, 2007 10:14 PM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: post psa Hi What was your Clinical Gleason and then your pathology score from the removed prostate. This very important. Ask the doctor or the nurse. Insist that they give these diagnostic results to you. I wish you all the best Aubrey Pilgrim, DC (Ret.) Author of A Revolutionary Approach to Prostate Cancer- Read it for free at http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/capilgr.htm Dr. E. Crawford is co-author of the revision In a message dated 6/29/2007 6:06:41 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, dstalls99 writes: I had rrp in Feb. In June I had my first post op. psa test. At the time of the surgery I was 4.7 I am now 1.7. The Drs. nurse said that I should not worry about this, because it was going down. They want me to have another psa test on July 20 to make sure that it is still going down. The nurse said that the Dr. wants to get it under a one. I keep reading of most of the people are way under 1 at their first post op psa test. Truthfully, how worried should I be? See what's free at AOL.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2007 Report Share Posted June 30, 2007 I second Kathy's comment. If you did not get a copy for your records, DO SO, and make sure that you read it to see if it agrees with what they said at the office. Fuller > > Ask for a paper copy of the report rather than relying on the > nurse/physician filter. > > > > Kathy > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 3, 2007 Report Share Posted July 3, 2007 The s Hopkins 2007 White Paper on Prostate Disorders says that, " After radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, a man's PSA level should be negligible. An increase to a level greater than 0.2 ng/mL signals a cancer recurrence. . . . A detectable PSA level shortly after surgery indicates that the cancer had already spread before treatment. " Dr. Scardino of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer center states it a bit differently in his book. He says, " Six to eight weeks after surgery, you should have your PSA level checked. If the cancer has been completely removed, the PSA will be undetectable. . . . A measurable PSA at this point is a sign that cancer is still present or that normal prostate tissue has been left behind, and further treatment may be indicated . . . " Let's hope your PSA test was incorrect and the July 20 test shows an undetectable PSA. If not, however, there is at least a possibility (according to Scardino) that the cancer has not spread and that your surgeon screwed up by not getting all of the prostate tissue. Bill, NYC > > I had rrp in Feb. In June I had my first post op. psa test. At the > time of the surgery I was 4.7 I am now 1.7. The Drs. nurse said that I > should not worry about this, because it was going down. They want me to > have another psa test on July 20 to make sure that it is still going > down. The nurse said that the Dr. wants to get it under a one. I keep > reading of most of the people are way under 1 at their first post op > psa test. Truthfully, how worried should I be? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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