Prostate Cancer

PSA 5.2 wrote:

48 years old, just got a PSA result of 5.2. Significantly higher than the 1.2 from 10 years ago.

Seems like a very high number for my age. Could this be the result of Hernia surgery/high stress levels? Would long run contribute to issue?

The test was done in conjunction with a visit for testicle pain/retraction while running.

Follow up test in 30 days and biopsy if still high.

There was an article / report in the press a few days ago arguing that genetics was a greater influence on getting cancer than lifestyle.

google it.

Best of luck with your health.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

Anything over 2.5 is too high. I don't think stress or hernia surgery is a factor, nor is running.

There are three likely possibilities: prostatitis, BHP (benign prostate hypertrophy) or prostate cancer. I don't know about any other possibilities.

I agree with others- this definitely warrants follow up by biopsy. Prostate cancer is over diagnosed and many cases do not pose a threat to the patient's life, as it tends to be a slow-growing encapsulated tumor. Nevertheless, it is difficult knowing if a patient is harboring an aggressive malignancy. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Good luck to you- let us know how things turn out.

Thanks guys.

Urologist did get back to me and said the hernia surgery could be cause, but certainly wants the new test next month and biopsy if it's still high.

Fun times ahead.

Over a period of time I had my PSA rise from 2.6 to 5.2 at age 49. A biopsy discovered two benign tumors in the gland. Rather than wait years for a malignancy to develop I immediately had surgery to completely remove prostate gland. Today at age 80 I am healthy.

The surgery was the best answer for me.

Just closing the loop on thread after a long 3 months... yes, biopsy confirms cancer.

Caught it early. Lots of options.

Working all day and staying up all night reading about PC on web left me with no energy/desire to run. Back at it mow that i know facts.

Thanks again for input.

Sorry to hear about the diagnosis.After having a low PSA, a test in early March punched it up to 4.8. A retest yesterday still has it at 4.8. I go to the urologist on Monday.Can you post some links your research came up with.Thx.

PSA wrote:

Just closing the loop on thread after a long 3 months... yes, biopsy confirms cancer.

Caught it early. Lots of options.

Working all day and staying up all night reading about PC on web left me with no energy/desire to run. Back at it mow that i know facts.

Thanks again for input.

Good luck and thanks for the prompt to get tested.

PSA wrote:

Just closing the loop on thread after a long 3 months... yes, biopsy confirms cancer. .

Sorry to hear your news- sounds like you're in good hands. Glad your doctor decided to monitor you more closely

Do you know the Gleason score as well as the primary and secondary scores? Have you had a follow-up bone scan or MRI?

Diagnosed with the same about 2 weeks ago after a biopsy.

Similar situation, caught very early after an elevated PSA (4.0) and it seems fairly contained

I'm having an MRI to validate the biopsy in terms of how far it's spread (if at all).

PSA; let me know if you'd like to connect to commiserate.

Sorry for late replies:

Gleason:

3+3=6

3+3=6

3+4=7

Other samples clean. Dont have details of paperwork with me so no other info until weekend.

Check out Healing Well. Lots of guys with good info.

Feel free to email.

A reading that high? At your age? Wow! You have two choices---#1-get that prostate out now. 2.--Leave it in---go through the very debilitating chemo/radiation---get you affairs in order and hope you have a few years left.

I wish I had better news.

Let me summarize, PSA was 4.5 when I was 46 years old, got biopsy and indeed had prostate cancer, 7 on the Gleason Scale...Solution was real easy for me, get it removed. Why risk it, if you know you can eradicate it?

As a side note, it was a real wake up call for me, I had not run a marathon in over 20 years as I took time to raise our 3 kids. Started running again 3 months after surgery. Have subsequently had the best running days of my life.I am 58 now, running Boston on Monday, and looking to go sub 2:55..

Best of luck to you and looks like they caught it really early..Enjoy life!

I am 43 and never had any exam. Do you just ask your primary care physician for an exam?

It has been 11.5 years my surgery. I don't remember my Gleason, but I have been PSA 0.0 since and I have been able to carry on with life. Good luck.

Best wishes to the OP

Luck or lack of it is the biggest cause of cancer, so a consultant told me

Info on wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate-specific_antigen

Maybe reading it wrong but i think you are low risk, check with your doctor / consultant and good luck

Not a doctor here... have just had a bit of time at a job where I've worked with prostate cancer at a systems level. If your urologist has given you information contrary to what I'm saying, then I'm probably wrong, ignore what I'm saying.

I don't know how much research you've done so I apologize in advance if this isn't useful at all.

My jurisdiction classifies low risk as anybody with PSA