Psa .41 after 6 months of surgery
Hello guys, I just found out my psa after 6 months of prostatectomy, any advice on what's next for me, what are the treatments I should take?
- You are not alone with returning cancer, and I have faced this 3 times so far. My original diagnosis was a Gleason 9, and ok for a while after surgery. My turning point came at a post-op PSA rise to 1.30. I decided on EBRT (external beam) with LUPRON hormone therapy.
Has your MD suggested a PMSA PET scan to see where the cancer may be developing?
Today, a variety of options and combinations may be offered, from various forms of radiation and chemo to kill it off to the use of hormone therapy to slow it down.
At this stage, I sought out guidance from a major cancer treatment center vs a local hospital. There was a significant difference in approach. Given your situation today, I would seek out more than one opinion. Please keep us posted on your decisions. Dennis (ProstateCancer.net TEAM)hello Dennis and im very sorry you had to go through it 3 times, can you tell me how did you cope with the treatment and work?,I'm a commercial driver and id like to know if I would be able to work while on hormone therapy,i saw my doctor and he ordered a psma pet scan so I have it scheduled for January-10-25 and we didn't talk about treatment yet ,but I'm getting very anxious about the recurrence and I get little anxiety attacks about the cancer I wake up 4 hours into my sleep and I can't go back to sleep just thinking about it After the initial shock of returning cancer hit me, I realized that my worries would not help. For me, It was best to focus on a positive future. I did not want "WORRY" to set up a basecamp in my head. I made it a point to avoid that dark tunnel.
The PSMA scan should or could ID where the cancer is and what if any, type of radiation may or may not be required. My first round of External Beam was 5 days a week for 8 weeks (Treatment time from entry to leaving took 15 minutes). I scheduled an 8 AM treatment daily, leaving the rest of the day to work or do what I wanted. The second time around, it was stereotactic radiation. This protocol was 5 sessions of highly targeted radiation spread over a period of 2 weeks. For me, both forms of radiation proved to be a non-event.
Regarding ADT, I was okay doing everything from working to riding a bike 20+ miles several days a week. Did experience hot flashes, some weight gain, felt tired at times, and had some emotional issues. I, and perhaps you, are dealing with an ongoing treatable disease like dealing with heart disease, diabetes, etc.
I try to take all of this in stride, figuring that for me, it was not worth making every day of my life miserable with worry when, in reality, there is so much more in life to enjoy. Dennis(ProstateCancer.net TEAM)
Did pathology find cancer at the margins after surgery? If so, I would say you need radiation asap to prevent any further spread. If not, cancer seems to be somewhere else and you need scans to find it. Wishing the best for you.
thank you Mike for the advice, he said pathology look good and he was surprised when he saw my .11 at 3 months I will see him on Monday about the .41 at 6 months I will request a psma/pet scan and radiation if possible, I want this Treated asap
Hello,,I was .41 on nov,I'm scheduled for a psma on 1-10-25 ,so what's the next step after the psma scan, adt and radiation?
After the scan, your MD will have a clearer picture as to possible next steps that may or may not include the options you mentioned. Do keep us updated on what guidance is offered. 👍 Dennis (prostate cancer.net TEAM)
Thank you Dennis for sharing your experience and your advice
: I am more than happy to share and hope you will do the same here. We all learn from each other and support each other as we tackle this disease. Thank you so much for your willingness to speak up in our community. Dennis(ProstateCancer.net TEAM)
