Sorry I can't give specifics on your situation, but I did want to share with you a wonderful nonprofit called Cancer GRACE. In addition to forums where you can see other people's issues and experience, they actually have volunteer oncologists from all over the country who donate their time to answer specific questions. I found them most helpful when dealing with my Mom's lung/brain cancer.

My DH gets his numbers checked regularly, as his PSA levels are elevated, but so far not enough for treatment. I do know that the amount of time between check ups that it took for the numbers to rise to a certain level, can be more accurate in assessing risk level of cancer growth or spread. So make sure you DH sees his doctor who will advise whether he thinks radiation (or possibly hormone treatment) should be considered yet.

Jasdip, here is a really comprehensive article that will hopefully help make your husband feel better until he sees his doctor. It's a fairly old article, but the information is based on post surgery follow-up tests between 1982 and 1997.

What Happens if PSA Comes Back After Surgery?

Jasdip, I don't know anything about prostate cancer, but am sad to see both you and pickyshopper are going through this with your spouses. Your husband will be in my prayers and I'm hopeful it will be ok.

ETA: Annie, I just lost my mother to lung cancer that had spread to her brain (not sure if it's the same as your mother had) I'm sorry for your loss.

My DH is coming up on 4 yrs since his prostate surgery & I don't recall our having been given any info on benchmarks for rising PSA levels prostatectomy, such as you mention. But, in my reading I found that a rising level doesn't necessarily indicated a return of cancer & that other cells may also produce PSA. I suspect his dr may very well want to repeat the test in a few months or a year & see if it continues to rise before recommending or contemplating further interventions, if any.

Perhaps the fact your dh knows his results ahead of seeing the dr gives him time to react & process this, so he'll be more focused on what the dr says, as well as have any questions ready. Of course the downside is that that he'll spend this time ruminating & worrying. I truly think it isn't as dire as your dh suspects, 0.5 still seems very low.

Thanks so much for your kind words and advice! Petra, thanks for that site, we'll be reading it.

Lukki, thanks for your prayers. BeeOhio, I was hoping you'd chime in, as I know that your hubby as been through it. Pickyshopper, I didn't know that you are also in this league. Hugs and Prayers are going out to both of you.

I know that the reason he's upset, is that it's been climbing pretty rapidly, and we don't know why. Last Jan it stormed and we didn't make the trek to see the doc and he gave us the results over the phone (0.001). When we saw him in April, it was 0.03. Now, 6 months later it's 0.5, and it's why he's upset.

We'll just have to see and hear what the doc says in 2 weeks. I do remember that the doctor said that it could spread to his bladder, and that is the fear in the back of his mind. Hubby hasn't vocalized it, but I'm sure it's there.

Why on earth would they make you wait two weeks to have an 'in person' explanation? Bug 'em! Worry will *make* you sick.

Chisue, our appt is in 2 weeks, his regular six-month checkup. It's not their fault that he knows the results ahead of time.

Jasdip, I probably wouldn't wait or would at least give the Oncologist a call and see what he/she says. Talk with the Oncologist or his PA and not just the medical assistant or front desk. Let him/her advise on how to proceed. The reason I'm saying this is because if it's a fast growing cancer (which it very well can be) time really is of the essense and it's not wise to wait. Who knows, they may have a series of additional testing or bloodwork that will need to be done as well and by calling maybe it can be done prior to the appointment instead.

That makes sense Lukkiirish. We'll give him a call Monday

Oh good, I'm glad you saw this, I hope all is ok, but you can never be too proactive.

Jasdip, I hope your husband is okay. I don't think anyone can blame him for looking up the results on-line, especially in Canada with our wait times. He would worry if he didn't and now worried that he did.

If your husband does need further treatment I hope that he is able to start it sooner rather than later. I know it is very worrisome.

I doubt that my husband will even be given the PSA test this year. Well, unless he pays for it. He probably should.

Sending caring thoughts!

so sorry to hear this. Prayers and good thoughts to hubby

Mini-update.......we got in this afternoon because of a cancellation. The surgeon said that the spike (from 0.03 to .5) in 6 months is extremely rare. He's positive that it's a lab error, so we're going to get his blood work checked again tomorrow. We're to call the dr Thursday for the results.

I asked what the numbers would be to get radiation, and he would do it if the numbers were at .2 So with a .5 reading, it would be late to start radiation.

I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again for your thoughts!

I'm glad you called, you and yours are in my thoughts too.

Hoping for a better result from new check.

I'm sure this is the least of your concerns, but this is an expensive test, and you should get a refund the lab was wrong. Our new MD ordered the PSA in error for my DH, who never had an 'interesting' reading through age 72 -- and didn't have one this time either. I was surprised at the cost.

Chisue, normally to get the blood tested for a PSA, the cost is $35. Because the PSA is monitoring from cancer, the cost is covered by our provincial health care. For men to have to pay $35 out of their own pockets, and women get mammograms covered, that is grossly unfair.

I can top that jasdip. I had an irregular mammogram and mine went from free to $300 out of pocket every time for awhile. Why couldn't my yearly free one still be free? Never got a reasonable answer to that one. No different than others, so it made no sense!

Rob, the answer could be as simple as how the person ordering your Mammo is writing the diagnosis on the order. It should be ordered & coded as a "Screening Mammo", if the irregularities had been resolved. Perhaps the order is written as "History of . " (cysts, tumor, fibrocystic disease, etc)?

If they're "watching" something & order a Mammo 6 months later, that is not a screening Mammo. Typically screenings are covered by insurance without copay, while diagnostic ones are covered differently.

Jasdip, glad your dh is having the PSA repeated.Hoping it comes back very low & acceptable.

bee, they justified it by saying it was a "different" kind of screening. No. It wasn't. Nothing different at all. Same equipment, tech, and process. I'm talking about the following year. ALL tests became the "different" one. It was wrong.

Thanks Bee. It's not good. Hubby just checked the results online, and it dropped to .46 There's no reason for it to drop, and it's still too high. So he's calling the doc at 9a.m.

Hope it all gets better very quickly jasdip! Right now even.

Different lab? Still too high. Keep us updated, please.

I'm not understanding any result other than zero when there's no prostate. Did the surgery remove the entire prostate, or just cancer there 'to a clean margin'?

Same lab, it's just a couple of blocks from us.

The entire prostate is gone, so ideally the number should be 0. If it's escalating quickly the cancer might have spread to the bladder.

We just heard from the doctor's office and they want yet another blood test a week from now. The other 2 tests were a week apart. He can't see any reason why it would drop, with no treatments. So they're keeping our original Oct 11 app't open so we can go and see him again.

Obviously, this is concerning but try not to jump to any conclusions until you know something for sure. In the meantime, I would try to focus on the things you can do now like preventive care. Maybe start by building his immune system up with an immune building diet, (if you haven't already). You can do this with a things like kale, very green veggies, mushrooms, onions, garlic, berries, seeds, some fruits and so on. It's important because if he does have to go back into treatment, it will help keep him from getting sick from outside germs. My husband started an immune building diet when he was diagnosed 4 years ago and both during his initial treatment and now (he's is on a permentant low dose chemo regime), he hasn't been ill even once in 4 years and he works in a hospital setting. If you are interested in knowing more, I'll be happy to share.

Of course I hope there is a reasonable explanation and that things will be ok. I know first hand what you're going through right now, there is nothing scarier than the unknown. Please know you're both in my prayers and thoughts.

Well, *something* is amiss, whether a real problem or a lab one. I'm betting it can be *fixed*! Holding positive thought for you both.

(When I said the PSA test was expensive, I'd forgotten you are not in the US. The charge for DH's was $320. I don't know what Medicare will knock it down to, but we're still stuck with the copay for an inappropriate test.)

My God, that's insane Chisue. It's a simple blood test, and an extra box checked off on the form. I guess our OHIP pays some of it, and the men have to pay $35 out of pocket.

Rob I had a similar situation. I have two sisters who have survived breast cancer so I was listed as background history mammogram. Then one day I got to the appt. and the secretary said "your insurance won't cover this". I asked if she could wait a few minutes and I called the insurance company, got a supervisor and stated my case. She said it still won't be covered no matter what you say so I asked to speak to her supervisor and requested that they put it in writing that I had to pay for the mammo. Within seconds of her speaking to someone higher, she came back and said "that will be covered" and still is six years later.