My Summary Prostate Cancer Information

Starting about 2003-2004... Annual checkup at family doctor showed PSA running 4-5 and free PSA Ratio 21-24%... Negative DRE... Was recommended for follow-up with urologist, but never got around to it..

Late 2006, PSA was upper 5.x and I finally scheduled a followup with a urologist for Feb 2007. Negative DRE, but biopsy scheduled.

Biopsy Screening -12 points 3/13/2007... Left Core OK -- Right Core Gleason 3+3... Consisting of single less than 1mm focus at tip of 1 core. Diagnosed as T1c cancer. Jeesh... last 1mm at tip of core... Could have been easily missed.

After a few days, decided to go with robotic surgery at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle... I wanted PCa out of my body and gone.

[Note: Pete uses the US method of showing dates here so 05/02/07 is May 2, 2007 not 5th February 2007]

04/24/2007 - DaVinci performed by Dr. Corman at Virginia Mason hospital in Seattle
05/02/2007 - Catheter Out. Final pathology of Gleason 6 T2c Nx Mx, approx 20% of prostate involved, positive margin, but only at 2 focal "points".

06/28/2007 - At 9 weeks of significant incontinence... Overnite, went from 4-6 soaked pads a day from prev 8 weeks to 2 barely wet pads a day...
07/12/2007 11 weeks post-op Minimal leakage... one small pad a day
07/18/2007 First Post-Op PSA... 0.01 !!!
09/10/2007 Pad free and ED at 75% with 100mg Viagra generic
06/26/2008 2nd Post-OP PSA at 14 months... 0.02

12/02/2008 3rd Post-OP PSA at 20 months... 0.03
10/30/2009 4th Post-OP PSA at 31 months... 0.13 (moved and diff lab)
11/03/2009 Retest at my original lab... 0.11 (followup with Doc sched 11/10)

11/10/2009 Discussion indicated biochemical recurrence and need for salvage radiation treatment.
1/21/2010 Another PSA test at 34 months... 0.14 at original lab

1/26/2010 IMRT Salvage Radiation Treatment started Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, WA
32 sessions for 64 gys total. Was told to have bladder full (over half) before each treatment to help keep it out of the way of radiation.

3/12/2010 Finished 32 sessions... No side effects to date except a little
tiredness. Slight changes in bowel movements the last week...

04/08/2010 Some rectal proctitis, but no change in urgency. No urinary effects at all. Now just waiting for the upcoming PSA test in June.

06/07/2010 First 3 month PSA result after SRT = 0.02 WAHOO! as good as could ever be expected at the 3 month mark! Thank You Jesus! Plan next PSA test in 6 months... December... skip that! Plan for January 2011... Do not want to be worrying about the test during the holidays...

01/11/2011 10 month post SRT - PSA = 0.01 --- Looks to be confirmation on back in the Zero Club!

08/26/2011 17 month post SRT - PSA = 0.01 -- and switched to a yearly monitoring

The background PSA for my BCR (Biochemical Recurrence) and subsequent SRT (Salvage Radiation Therapy) is summarized in my original story.

After completing SRT in March 2010, my 3 month PSA in June 2010 dropped to 0.02 ng/l. 9 month PSA dropped to 0.01 in Jan 2011 and stayed there at my latest PSA in August 2011.

I am now on an annual one year frequency for PSA checks.

Most recent Annual PSA check August 2012 was still 0.01 ng/ml.

Most recent Annual PSA check October 2013 was still 0.01 ng/ml.

Just living life and forgetting about PCa for now... Enjoying all normal activities and backpacking is now a favorite. PSA did creep up to 0.04 from 0.02, but oncologist said not to worry, so I try not too... lol...

PSA still creeping up... Not high enough to warrant any further treatment at the present time.

In March 2017, I had an AMS 800 AUS implanted. It has significantly improved quality of life going from 4-5 soaked pads per day to only 1-2ml minor drip leakage per day.

Have transferred care to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) and monitoring rising PSA. Had an Auxumin scan which came out clear. Added vitamin D and Calcium supplements as blood values were below norms. Monitoring with monthly PSA and testosterone tests.

Monitoring with monthly PSA and testosterone tests. PSA has risen slightly from 0.24 last year to 0.31 this year.

Good quality of life with no restrictions. Residual psa seems stable and most likely benign tissue left from original RRP

Monitoring and watching PSA every 6 months. Staying in 0.3 to 0.4 range. Doctors believe it may be leftover benign prostate tissue.

Monitoring and watching PSA every 6 months. Staying in 0.4 to 0.6 range. Doctors believe it may be leftover benign prostate tissue. No current concerns as whatever it is, it is very slow growing.

Monitoring and watching PSA every 6 months. Staying in 0.4 to 0.6 range. Doctors still believe it may be leftover benign prostate tissue. No other concerns other than watching every 6 months.

Pete's e-mail address is: pasayten AT yahoo.com (replace "AT" with "@")