Father diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2005 and I had my PSA checked for the first time at .1. 2007 it was still .1. in 2010 it checked 2.4. In 2012 it had moved to 3.0 and then 3.3 and 3.8 in late 2013, when I asked my GP to refer me to a urologist.
The only symptom that I had was increased urge to urinate but I didn't even notice that until I took a job in 2013 that caused me to drive for several hours at a time. I started taking Saw Grass Palmetto and it immediately took care of that problem so I figured it wasn't anything very serious. But when it got to 3.8, I thought it best to see a Urologist, given my family history and after doing some research on it. (Bottom line - It should not be moving, period)
I had cancer in 4 of 10 samples of the biopsy. Both nodes but nothing in the lymphatic or perineural. Last April 9, I had a Da Vinci Prostatectomy. My margins were clear (means that after they dissected and analyzed my entire prostate gland, they found no cancer on the perimeter of the prostate). My Gleason went from 6 to 7, biopsy to full prostate examination. I don't remember if was 3 + 4 or the other way but it was the more favorable way to me.
I was fortunate that I had very little erectile dysfunction and minimal incontinence issues post surgery. I had done a couple of 50k's in the months before the surgery and was in pretty good shape going in. Unfortunately, I ended up with an incisional hernia (I was very sick post prostate surgery and I recall feeling something give way in the incision area when I was heaving a few hours post surgery but I was so sick and drugged that I kind of forgot about it) that I had to have repaired in July. This surgery actually caused me more down time than the prostate surgery. The extended downtime caused me to gain about 10 lbs that I have had trouble getting off.
I started back running in Aug, very easy and short. In November I ran a 10 mile race and a half then another half and a 35 mile ultra at the end of December. Feb 7 I ran Rocky 50 miler and March 1, Mississippi 50 miler. My PSA has been undetectable one month post surgery, 6 months post surgery, and one year post surgery.
Good luck to you and anyone else who has issues or concerns with prostate cancer.