PSA Increase

[Chris W]

Further to the above 'What Does PSA Count 0.08 Actually Mean in My Case?'.

As previously mentioned, I had a PSA count of 0.08 on 10 May '16, 6½ weeks after my radical prostatectomy.

Some seven weeks later on 29 June '16, my PSA count had reduced to 0.04. Brilliant!

Again, six months later in Dec'16 my PSA count had remained at 0.04. Brilliant!

However, on 9 May'17, my PSA count had increased to 0.09. While this is still classed as 'undetectable' (below 0.1) it represents an increase of 125%.

Is this cause for concern and, if so, what do you recommend I do about it?

Many thanks in anticipation.

[professoreden]

Chris
I can see how the change in numbers is unsettling for you. The fact that your PSA has both apparently fallen and risen following surgery highlights the fact that the PSA test is not very accurate at the lowest limit of detection. This is why the definition of biochemical recurrence (failure) is a PSA of 0.2 or greater, which all of your readings fall well inside. Further time and further PSA levels are needed in your case to demonstrate whether there is truly a problem but from the levels that you have given it is by no means certain that there is any problem. It is not possible to be more certain than this at present, unfortunately.