Very High PSA, 6 biopsies

Richard · Regular Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 10

John,
Thank you for your post and the helpful information it contains.

I have had at least three "free PSA" tests over the years (the latest being spring 2006), and they all have indicated a likelihood of cancer being present. Also, my prostate is not overly large. No bumps or irregularities have ever been found in a digital examine.

The University of Pennsylvania's internal magnetic imaging procedure has been discussed with me in the past and I will discuss it again with my urologist when I see him in a couple of weeks... I will also research the one that you have brought to my attention.

At least one of my biopsies has supposedly sampled the transition zone. All so far have been done rectally.

Thanks again for you help.

Richard

KennyWa · New User Joined: 04 Nov 2006 Posts: 2

Hello Richard,
In Nov 06 I had my prostate removed for Gleason 7 Cancer. Prior to that, my PSA was past the 4 reading and increasing but no enlargement and no symptoms. My first biopsy consisted of 6 samples, all negative; but as the PSA kept rising, second biopsy was done 4 months later. They took 12 samples and one turned out to be positive. In other words, out of the 18 samples taken one was positive. Path reported stated the size of the cancer was 5.5 mm and still encapsulated. My first urologist sent me for a biopsy but one particular doctor prior to performing the biopsy told me I did not need a biopsy. This was based on his observation of the ultrasonic scan of the prostate. As I work over seas and move from country to country several years went by before I had the biopsy done. Prior to surgery, I had an interrectal MRI but the result was blurred because of the biopsy 4 weeks prior. Repeat the biopsy.

Richard · Regular Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 10

Dear KennyWa,
Thank you for providing information on your history and situation.
Hearing about your experience with the interrectal MRI is especially helpful.
I have appointments over the next couple of weeks and expect I may have to make a decision about that procedure as a prelude to another biopsy. It's been nine months since my last biopsy, which I would think would be adequate time to prevent the blurring effect you encountered.
I guess, however, the interrectal procedure can be misleading even under the best of circumstances. But anything with a good chance of helping seems worth a try.
All good wishes to you re your situation.
Thanks again.
Richard

brian59 · Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: Very High PSA, 6 biopsies

I'm 59 years old and have just been told I have prostate cancer. My PSA is 4.4 and my biopsy confirmed that 4 of 12 samples were positive. My Gleason score is 6 and I,m at stage T1C. My doctor feels that the cancer is still contained within the prostate. He has recommended either surgery or radiation treatment. He does do the daVinci robiotic surgery and I'm leaning towards having the daVinci surgery. I was wondering if anyone who has had this surgery can give me any feedback. Also he wants to do a rectal mri.

soniq24 · New User Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 2

Hi Richard,

I took about 1 & 1/2 yrs and 3 sessions of biopsies to find my cancer.
It was is an area of the prostate that they don't normally check called "the transitional area". I would ask your doctor if he checked the transitional area.

Soniq

Richard · Regular Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 10

Dear Soniq,

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. My urologist has told me that he has sampled the transitional area, but after a total of 8 biopsies over a period of 8 years no cancer has yet been found. My PSA remains very high (high teens to low twenties) with no other explanation found, and I expect to have another biopsy in July. For now, it remains a very puzzling and for me uneasy situation.

Richard

chrisz · Regular Joined: 09 Apr 2007 Posts: 37

Richard,

My Udoc has told me that he also has several patients that are walking
around with high PSA's, but no cancer to be found.

After researching Prostatitis, it sounds like you may be dealing with
that.

Google : prostatitis high psa

And you will find all kinds of prostatitis. Some with severe symptoms,
some with no symptoms. Some acute, some chronic. But they all
seem to have one thing in common ..... High PSA.

I would research and based on your findings, you will have alot of
questions for your Udoc, like BIO FILM.

I hate to sound untrustworthy, but doctors make big bucks giving
biopsy's, and I they love this PSA thing. No one should ever get
a biopsy with a single PSA reading and without investigating
Prostatitits first.

Sometimes I wonder about punching so many holes in a prostate. I wonder if it can aggravate a Prostate condition and evententually cause cancer to develop. Then the Udoc comes across as a super-hero !
Ten biopsy's later, that is.

This disease/disorder is very, very subjective in it's symptoms,
detection, and treatment.

I'm the type to keep current on the subject (thanks to the internet).
Most information is accurate. But there are those bottom feeders
out there that use the mystery of the disease to make ---------->
MONEY !!!!!!! And multiple Biopsy's make alot of it.

Chris

Richard · Regular Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 10

Dear Chrisz,
Thank you for your comments re high PSA's and for sharing the information resulting from your related research. Your comments are helpful.
Despite not having symptoms (except perhaps the high PSA) I have received long term treatment for possible prostatitis, without success in bringing down my PSA.
My most fervent hope is that I do not have cancer hidden somewhere in my prostate and that my high PSA has some other cause.
Making decisions about what I should allow to be done to me in the search for a reason has been difficult over the years, and I have consulted or been treated by 5 different urologists, including faculty members from two prominent medical schools. In general the message from them all has been the same, i.e., to keep a close watch on the situation and do periodic biopsies as long as the PSA remains in the high teens and twenties or above.
The search continues, and I will be faced with another decision point this summer when I have another PSA taken.
I do understand the money issue (isn't almost everything in our current culture about making money), and I too have concerns about the impact on the prostate of multiple biopsies. All things I have to take into account as I move forward.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

Richard

mysticone · New User Joined: 29 Jun 2007 Posts: 1

Hi Guys....I have been reading your posts. My man was diagnosed with [i]presumtive metastic prostate cancer[/i]. He's being treated with casodex and luprin for about 2 years now and no biopsy ever taken and nothing was ever found in his bones from CT or MRI. His PSA was over 700 while he was bleeding internally and he was put in an induced coma to stop the bleeding from the lower abdomen area for 3 1/2 weeks in a trauma unit. Last year he finaly had his had muscle tissue replaced in that area. They saved his life when they stopped the bleeding but never gave him a biopsy because his blood was not clotting or something like that 2 years ago. He has never had a second opinion and no other tests for the cancer except for PSA tests. I'd like to believe the doctors are wrong of course and maybe he had a high PSA because of the bleeding or some strange internal injury such as hernia complications. Is this possible? His PSA went down to about 0 after the bleeding stopped, his vitals came back and he was on the medications. Now it has been climbing up to 2.34 and they say perhaps it is from the casodex and are stopping it. Still confused about a 700 PSA # that went all the way back down. Is this possible? Has anyone ever heard of such a high PSA?
He is now 59 years old, he looks great, eats great, has wonderful energy, other than the hugh scar from his belly cut open and pain he has there. I some how think his diagnosis may be wrong. Any suggestions?

Mystic one

brainman · Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject: Re: Very High PSA, 6 biopsies

Mysticone, you might want to read the threat at the following link for a more up to date discussion on the issue of high PSA.

http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=6448
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

rayovac · New User Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

This is my first entre on this website.
I've read the entres of several writers and 8 pages of theirs on high PSA's up to Jun of 2007. I can't seem to find anymore followup for Richard/br549/shgeiger/GeoffCW/goruck/Hawk/johnw100/KennyWa/soniz24/shrisz/mysticone and administrator---brainman.
Can anyone help here.[/b]

brainman · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: Very High PSA, 6 biopsies

I am not exactly sure what you are looking for rayovac. Hi PSA tends to be a common topic in this forum so I guess we just moved on and let this one go. I did list http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=6448 but it too is old. I do not think there is a specific topic about high PSA's that are currently active. Do you have high PSA? You might want to restart this topic by replying with your story.

Best wishes.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

rayovac · New User Joined: 09 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Thanks for the reply - Brainman. What I was looking for was additional formum talk from the several subject names I listed. I don't see any chat since June of 07'.

rayovac

brainman · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: Very High PSA, 6 biopsies

rayovac, you can use each of those usernames and do a search for them but that will give you thousands of posts (this post is my 2005th post). You can also do a search for PSA but that too will give you a lot of posts... almost every post in the Prostate Cancer Forum talks about that. Like I said before, you can always start a new topic and see how many people will reply to you Wink

.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

goruck · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:35 am Post subject: from george rucker urology

any updates?

george rucker,
urology
_________________
George Rucker
Urology/Urologist
http://prostateconcerns.blogspot.com/
www.urology-partners.com
http://www.cornellurology.com/past-res.html
http://www.lakewoodranchmedicalcenter.com/index.php?&PageID=1088

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