My dad has prostate cancer and his number is 6.something. He started out at 4. He's doing the natural route and says the doctor says that anything above 10 is a problem. Is this true? Is there a chart somewhere saying 6 is ok, 8 is bad, 10 really bad...ect? Also is this a type of cancer that runs in the family? Like all my uncles should be checked? I just found out one of my husbands uncle has it, so my husband dad should be checked out too?
Cancer - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
My doctor suggested a biopsy at 8. Sure enough, there it was. I had surgery, weird chemicals, radiation and later an implant so everything would 'work'. That was twelve years ago and so far so good. If you catch this thing in time, then time is on your side. Currently my PSA is .01<. I have every reason to believe that it will stay there. As far as 'getting checked' is concerned, EVERY MAN should have this test every year. While cancer is a killer, this simple test is a life saver. I recommend it!
2 :
The PSA test numbers can be all over the map, and they are only useful for screening or monitoring. A value of 4.0 is used as a threshold to continue monitoring and to help with decisions about getting a biopsy, but in your dad's case, it provides a baseline to compare later measurements. There isn't a chart that explains what the values mean because there is way too much variance in the levels of this antigen. A person could have prostate cancer with a PSA as low as 4, and a person can be cancer free with numbers that are nearly ten times this amount. Prostate cancer grows very slowly. It usually takes decades to become advanced. In your dad's situation, it makes sense to watch this for a while to see what happens. I would expect that he is getting tested several times per year. If the number keeps advancing then its time to intervene. There is no magic number, but if there is a steady advance at each test date for 3-4 consecutive tests, or the absolute count suddenly doubles, then these types of circumstances would suggest that its time to initiate treatment.
3 :
I am sorry to hear that your dad's PSA level is increasing. I have attached some web sites that will provide you some of the information you requested. What you will need to do is start charting the increase, when it occurred, etc. this will provide you an idea as to how fast it is growing. Why I said that is because I am a 59 year old prostate cancer survivor, I went from virtually nothing to over 9 and the high end of a medium Gleason score. Since the doctor couldn't get my PSA level down with medication or treatments, I elected to have a biopsy which provided me a better understanding of just how bad my prostate was. I have spoken to many different people (one 28 one 38 and others over 50) with high PSA levels and based on age, health, life style I advise them to address it appropriately. Getting the biopsy will tell if there are cancer cells and to what stage they are. Once you have all this you can make better decisions and know what to do in the future. Regarding family etc. Prostate Cancer strikes one in every six men. I spoke to my brother who was decided to have a check up after my issue and he has high PSA levels and will be addressing the biopsy at soon I hope. Here is what I preach to everyone now that I have gone through it and survived. Get a PSA blood test now and make sure you keep it in your medical records and keep it in your own records. Based on that initial score it will tell you how often you should have it checked. Having that information will allow you to know how fast it might be growing and spreading should it increase later. I hope this helps and wish you, your dad and all your family all the best. Good luck
4 :
What “number†are you referring to? The number that matters is his Gleason score. If you are referring to his PSA it is helpful to know his age. Charts do not matter that is what urologists are for. There is no “natural route†to treat cancer. Prostate cancer can run in families, but every man you have a baseline PDA and prostate exam at 45.
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