PSA after Prostate Removal

[robylyn]

My husband had his prostate removed in March of 09.  His first post surgery PSA was 0 and his most recent PSA was .3.  What does this suggest?

[HGR]

Did he receive radiation post-op?  After a course of radiation, possible Lupron (hormone) therapy?  Been receiving monthly PSA  and Testosterone labs.  PSA over .01 means more Lupron for my husband.   Prostatectomy 1997, Gleason 8.  Became vegetarian, walks 2-5 miles every other day.  Feels good.  They initially gave him  5  years.

[Ash Tewari, MD, M.Ch.]

Thank you for your question. Your husband had radical prostatectomy about 5-6 months ago. Some questions to ask that would be relevant to your inquiry are 1) what was the final pathological stage and Gleason grading of the tumor 2) what was his PSA prior to the surgery 3) where there any positive surgical margins (tumor at the inked margin) reported on final surgical pathology?

The definition of biochemical recurrence is generally between 0.2 - 0.4 ng/mL.

The decision for a course of action after this single PSA test will be dependent on the answers to the questions above. For example, if your husband's final surgical pathology showed a Gleason 3+3, T2a (tumor confined to one lobe, less than 50%, negative surgical margin), laboratory contamination may come into play.

A followup schedule should be discussed with your urologist and possibly a medical oncologist.

Best,

Ash K. Tewari, MD

www.cornellroboticprostate.org

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[purelife53]

A few questions come to my mind. and I'm not a doctor, thats for sure!  How old is your husband? What was his gleason score based on the needle biopsy I presume he had? Whats the gleason score of the removed prostate? Do you know the stage given to his problem after the surgery? Where did he have it done? Hows his continance? Dr. T on this forum will ask all or most of these questions I'm pretty sure. Get a copy of the pathology report that was done on his prostate after and during his surgery. Repeat the p.s.a. somewhere, it might be a bad lab...it does happen. We usually have many years to die from something else even if it is the start of a recurrance. Start him on vitamin d, about 6k m/g a day and have him drink 8 oz of pomagranate juice per day. Many say it helps a lot. Im a patient as well and just keep reading and reading..and waiting, but in a brave cheerful way, so far anyway! Good Luck to you and your husband!









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