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Prostate Cancer (Expert Forum)
psa test
Answered by
Ash Tewari, MD, M.Ch. - Prostate Cancer, Robotic Prostatectomy, Urology, Oncology, Surgery
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
New York - NY
This forum is for questions about: Advanced or Metastatic Prostate Cancer, Biopsy, Bone Scan, Blood in Urine or Semen, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), CT Scan, Cystoscopy, Erectile Dysfunction, Hormone Therapy, Incontinence, Pain (abdomen, low back or hip), PSA Test, Prostatitis , Radiation Therapy, Rectal Exam, Recurrent Cancer, Risk Factors, Screening, Staging (Tumor size; Metastasis), Surgery, Transrectal Ultrasound, Urinary Difficulty or Burning, Urinary Urgency (Leaking), Watchful Waiting.
Doctor's Answer
by Ash Tewari, MD, M.Ch., Oct 03, 2009 10:48PM
, Oct 03, 2009 10:48PMTo: wife49
Thank you for your question. The definition of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (robotic or open prostate cancer surgery) is a one time PSA test of anywhere between 0.2 ng/mL to 0.4 ng/mL. An elevated PSA after surgery could be a number of things 1) residual prostate tissue left in the body after surgery 2) an indication of advanced disease 3) lab variation or contamination. An important variable in understanding a PSA rise after surgery is the final surgical pathology including the extent of the tumor and Gleason grading.
Weight loss can be an ambiguous symptom that may or may not be related to the prostate cancer. I require my patients to walk 5 miles a day for 6 weeks prior to surgery as well as another 5 miles a day after surgery. This helps in preventing blood clots or DVTs. An increased amount of walking could be the cause of this weight loss.
Imaging studies may be necessary if a repeat PSA is also significantly elevated.
Thank you for your question. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Ashutosh (Ash) K. Tewari, MD
www.cornellroboticprostate.org
This forum is for information only. The contents, such as graphics, images, text, quoted information and all other materials ("Content") are provided for reference only, do not claim to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any particular individual's medical condition. Users should always consult with a qualified and licensed physician or other medical care provider. Users are warned to follow the advice of their physicians without delay regardless of anything read in this forum. The Weill Cornell Prostate Cancer Institute assumes no duty to correct or update the Content nor to resolve or clarify any inconsistent information which may be a part of the Content. Reliance on any Content is solely at the User's risk. This forum may contain health or medically related materials considered sexually explicit. Users are warned that if they may be offended by such Content, an alternate source of information should be found. Publication of information or reference in forum to specific sources such as specific products, procedures, physicians, treatments, or diagnoses are for information only and are not endorsements of the Weill Cornell Prostate Cancer Institute.
Weight loss can be an ambiguous symptom that may or may not be related to the prostate cancer. I require my patients to walk 5 miles a day for 6 weeks prior to surgery as well as another 5 miles a day after surgery. This helps in preventing blood clots or DVTs. An increased amount of walking could be the cause of this weight loss.
Imaging studies may be necessary if a repeat PSA is also significantly elevated.
Thank you for your question. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Ashutosh (Ash) K. Tewari, MD
www.cornellroboticprostate.org
This forum is for information only. The contents, such as graphics, images, text, quoted information and all other materials ("Content") are provided for reference only, do not claim to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any particular individual's medical condition. Users should always consult with a qualified and licensed physician or other medical care provider. Users are warned to follow the advice of their physicians without delay regardless of anything read in this forum. The Weill Cornell Prostate Cancer Institute assumes no duty to correct or update the Content nor to resolve or clarify any inconsistent information which may be a part of the Content. Reliance on any Content is solely at the User's risk. This forum may contain health or medically related materials considered sexually explicit. Users are warned that if they may be offended by such Content, an alternate source of information should be found. Publication of information or reference in forum to specific sources such as specific products, procedures, physicians, treatments, or diagnoses are for information only and are not endorsements of the Weill Cornell Prostate Cancer Institute.
