Yes you can. That is neither reassuring nor worrisome. Make sure you get your enlarged prostate properly evaluated.
Best wishes, God bless
What determines what is a "high" PSA level in part is relative to what country you are in, and what age you are….
For example, my father had a reading of 17 – which is considered very high here – however, he went to see a doctor in Canada, and they didn’t even blink at it -they said for a man his age that was normal.
So a lot of it depends on the paradigm your doctor was taught.
In other words, don’t freak out about it just yet – get a biopsy done before you worry.
i read that a high level of PSA may indicate an enlarged prostate. but mies is not high, yet my doctor has given me a prescription for enlarged prostate. does this mean i might not have an enlarged prostate?
A PSA test is an indicator for prostatic cancer-not so much for enlargment.
Enlargement (or BPH for Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy) can be diagnosed through symptoms (urinary frequency with small streams),rectal exam, and/or prostate sonogram. Several meds are on the market to try to shrink the prostate which sounds like that’s what the doctor suspects. I believe normal PSA’s run from 0-4 roughly-but may depend on age and possibly somewhat the size. To make things more complicated,a person could have prostate cancer while in the normal range and on the contrary,someone can be negative for cancer in a high level. Hopefully the meds will help shrink things down for you!
Is it easy to find.?? What are its main advantages??. I read about it a lot but fail to recall the specific name of this blood test. I appreciate your help sincerely. Please inform me.
There are other PSA tests like the ultrasensitve PSA, and PSA free and total. These tests measure down to the hundredths the level of the antigen. Have you asked your doctor?
Hi all, thank you for reading my question. My dad was just diagonsed with prostate cancer last monday. The funny thing about this is that his PSA levels started at 7.6, when they told him he might have cancer, he changed his entire diet around, every two weeks he had to go for blood work. Everytime his PSA levels kept going down. The last PSA level he had was 4.2 and the doctor said, everything seem to be ok, but if he wanted to be 100% sure to get the biopsy done.
Well he did get the biopsy, last monday the doctor told us they found very little cancer. My dad decided to get his prostate removed, we are going to talk to the doctor again on monday to give him the decision.
My question here is, if anybody knows why his PSA levels would go down instead of up? and does this mean his cancer maybe hasn’t spread? He has done a psa level for the past 2 or 3 years know, and this is teh first time cancer was diagnosed. He is 56 but very heatly otherwise. Anybody out there with experienc
PSA is produced by both normal prostate tissue and by cancerous tissue. The most common reason for a temporary rise of this magnetude is infection. It’s also possible that he has BPH…benign enlargement…which is contributing to his PSA reading. With a reading of 7.6, I’m surprised they didn’t have the biopsy done earlier.
If his choice is radical therapy, he should take some time and research options and practitioners. It takes more than 10 years for PCa to kill, so he has some time to think this through. The consequences of prostate treatment can be quite serious, and he should come to terms with the potential consequences before finalizing his decision.
If his choice is surgery, then he should consider robotic prostatectomy, which is rapidly becoming the preferred method, thanks to lower trauma and rapid recovery. It’s important that his surgeon have a great deal of experience. A surgeon who has done 1000 prostatectomies would be a much better choice than one who has done 50. Although every urologist can perform this surgery, there are a small number of "artists", who are considered both by peers and patients to be more capable than average. He needs to find one of these surgeons. The probability of permanent impotence following surgery is anywhere from 20-70%, with the choice of surgeon being the key variable. And he will probably be incontinent for a period of time, with a small chance that this will be a lifetime condition.
assist me in making an informed decision. I am scheduled to have Prostate Cancer Biopsy on 05/24/07. Here is a brief history of events up till now:
Vital statistics and hx are as follows: Age: 38; Sex: Male; Ht: 5′ 5"; Wt: 162 lbs; Father: recently passed away at the age of 73 2ndry Prostate Cancer which got metastasized and as a result he had bone cancer as well; Mother: has diabetes and previously has had benign tumor removed; Older Brother: Healthy; Race: Asian-Indian.
On 04/23/07 blood test done and the results indicated PSA level of 3.5, subsequent to this FreePSA test done on 05/04/07 and PSA level: 3.68. The normal range is 0-2.5. Based on some some chart scoring had a value of 8 indicative that I probably have a 24% chance of having prostate cancer. Visited Urologist on 05/16/07 and DRE was conducted and was normal. Should I wait 8 weeks and have another PSA test or go for Biopsy as suggested by the Urologist? Don’t want to be sliced & diced but also want peace of mind!
The above answer has the right conclusion, although all the facts are wrong.
While PCa at your age is rare, it’s hardly unknown. You have an significantly elevated risk due to the fact that your father had it.
PSA is not an indication of cancerous tissue, it’s produced by both normal and diseased prostate tissue. The absolute number turns out to be fairly meaningless, as "normal" could be anywhere from .5 to 8, mostly depending on the size of your prostate and general health. It’s best to have regular PSA tests, and to keep a chart of your results. A rapid increase in PSA is more concerning than a high absolute number.
Free PSA is the percent of PSA which isn’t attached to protein. If it’s very low, there is a higher chance that your PSA reading is caused by cancer.
A DRE can only detect cancer when it’s extensive enough to be palpable. In parts of Europe, adoption of PSA testing has been slower than in the US, and DRE is still a preferred detection technique. But DRE will miss cancer in it’s earliest, most treatable stage. In the US, the overwhelming majority of men are diagnosed with biopsy following abnormal PSA readings, and never reach the stage of having a positive DRE.
If I were in your place, I would take the biopsy. Although biopsy isn’t the most pleasant experience, it’s the only way to find peace of mind. If it’s negative, I would continue being vigilant, and have PSA tests every six months, charting the results. Given your family history, it pays not to take chances.
What you can expect from the biopsy is a few minutes of discomfort, followed by a month of bleeding. It’s not the worst thing that can happen to you.
He had a blood test that showed a PSA level of 87!! The MRI showed the cancer is in the surrounding Lymph tissue but the bone scan was clear. He has been given hormone treatment and told surgery is not possible and has an appt to see radiotherapy dept. Has anyone got any experience of this especially with such a high PSA result?
A PSA of 87actually isn’t a horrible number for someone who has just been diagnosed. Radiation, horemonal treatment, and possibly chemotherapy will definitley help him out. Prostate cancer, especially when caught this early, doesn’t have to be a death sentence.
It does require a lot of attention, though. Following the treatment schedule is very important. Follow up is crucial. Routine exams, labs, etc.
I hope he does well. What he needs right now is your support. Not your worry.
He had a blood test that showed a PSA level of 87!! The MRI showed the cancer is in the surrounding Lymph tissue but the bone scan was clear. He has been given hormone treatment and told surgery is not possible and has an appt to see radiotherapy dept. Has anyone got any experience of this especially with such a high PSA result?
A PSA of 87actually isn’t a horrible number for someone who has just been diagnosed. Radiation, horemonal treatment, and possibly chemotherapy will definitley help him out. Prostate cancer, especially when caught this early, doesn’t have to be a death sentence.
It does require a lot of attention, though. Following the treatment schedule is very important. Follow up is crucial. Routine exams, labs, etc.
I hope he does well. What he needs right now is your support. Not your worry.
Approximately 25% of Canadian men in the 50′s have prostate cancer. High level of PSA in the blood is used as a test for prostate cancer. Approximately 20% of men with prostate cancer have normal PSA levels and two out of three men without prostate cancer have high PSA levels. Calculate the probabilities that a PSA test on a Canadian man in his 50′s will result in
a) false positive
b) false negative
Thanks for the help 
P(had) = 25% = 1/4
P(not) = 3/4
P(normallhad) = 20% = 1/5
P(highlnot) = 2/3
qa
P(false positive)
= P(positive but not) / P(positive)
= P(highlnot)*P(not) / [P(highlnot)*P(not) + P(highlhad)*P(had)]
= 2/3 * 3/4 / [2/3 * 3/4 + 4/5 * 1/4]
= 1/2 / [1/2 + 1/5]
= 5/7
qb
P(false negative)
= P(negative but had) / P(negative)
= 1/5 * 1/4 / [1/5 * 1/4 + 1/3 * 3/4]
= 1/20 / [1/20 + 1/4]
= 1/6
Approximately 25% of Canadian men in the 50′s have prostate cancer. High level of PSA in the blood is used as a test for prostate cancer. Approximately 20% of men with prostate cancer have normal PSA levels and two out of three men without prostate cancer have high PSA levels. Calculate the probabilities that a PSA test on a Canadian man in his 50′s will result in
a) false positive
b) false negative
Thanks for the help
P(had) = 25% = 1/4
P(not) = 3/4
P(normallhad) = 20% = 1/5
P(highlnot) = 2/3
qa
P(false positive)
= P(positive but not) / P(positive)
= P(highlnot)*P(not) / [P(highlnot)*P(not) + P(highlhad)*P(had)]
= 2/3 * 3/4 / [2/3 * 3/4 + 4/5 * 1/4]
= 1/2 / [1/2 + 1/5]
= 5/7
qb
P(false negative)
= P(negative but had) / P(negative)
= 1/5 * 1/4 / [1/5 * 1/4 + 1/3 * 3/4]
= 1/20 / [1/20 + 1/4]
= 1/6