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I have been having ultra sensitive PSA's drawn every six months since completing both RP and RT finishing in 2018. All results have been reported as <0.006 or essentially non detectable. My recent test result is reported as <0.014. I have contacted the lab and have been unable to find out whether or not the method has changed. Has anyone else had this experience? I am going to see my urologist this Monday for a cystoscopy due to continued incontinence and find out if he can explain. Thank You
When I had different results like that it was because I went to different testing labs and they had different machines to do the tests. I was even able to find out which machines they were using and pull up the operators manuals. The machines are completely automated, do thousands of tests per hour and calibrated every day. Your PSA numbers are so low that you can think of them as zero. They have to get to 0.1 before you can even look at trying to calculate doubling time; how long to go from 0.1 to 0.2.
All of my ultra sensitive PSA's tests have been performed at the same lab. My urologist surgeon said that a higher threshold has been adopted by
several laboratories and that the threshold that they use now is considered non-detectable as you suggested.
When I had different results like that it was because I went to different testing labs and they had different machines to do the tests. I was even able to find out which machines they were using and pull up the operators manuals. The machines are completely automated, do thousands of tests per hour and calibrated every day. Your PSA numbers are so low that you can think of them as zero. They have to get to 0.1 before you can even look at trying to calculate doubling time; how long to go from 0.1 to 0.2.
Actually 0.014 could have a doubling time of 3 months and still come back in 6 months at the next test as 0.056. At one year with an aggressive 3 month DT it would be 0.224
I am not suggesting this is an aggressive cancer but one to look at sooner rather than later.
So this is a good number to follow. I think a re-test in 3 months would be a good idea.
