Prostate Cancer

[mmil]

Hello Friends,

This is my first post. I'm not sure which Forum to post this in? This this one seems appropriate.

I am a 56 year old male. Last year, I had a horrible case of prostatitis with my PSA level >50! I took Cipro for a month. The symptoms went away. The Urologist said that it may take a year for the PSA levels to return to normal. (Prior to the infection, I was in the 3.3-3.7 range.)

Well, it's been over a year, and the PSA remains in the 7-8 range. I just finished another month of Cipro, just in case I had a residual infection. No change in PSA. I have a Biopsy scheduled for October 30; I will have a blood test tomorrow to check my 'white count'.

When I take the BPH AUA (American Urological Association) Prostate Symptom Index test, I score 19 - 22, depending. This puts me in the low end of the 'severe BPH' category.

My question is, has anyone ever had similar PSA numbers? Cancer is obviously the worst case scenario, but I'm curious if severe BPH could cause the PSA level to be elevated, to the extent I am experiencing (7-8)?

Thanks to All Who Can Help,
Mark

[ohno]

It seems to me that it is more likely BPH. but at 56, you have a 56% chance it's cancer.

Ask for a "Free and bound PSA test". I've never seen the results wrong, it's just a simple blood test, to check for how much cancer is bound to protein. I don't know why this isn't routein, as I've read many articles that it will replace other tests someday.

The lower your precent is Free, the more likely it is cancer. A Free PSA of less than 10% is indicative of Prostate Cancer. Mine was 9% and I had cancer (don't anymore ~ had HIFU)
. ..................................................................................................................
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate_specific_antigen
Quote:
Most PSA in the blood is bound to serum proteins. A small amount is not protein bound and is called free PSA. In men with prostate cancer the ratio of free (unbound) PSA to total PSA is decreased. The risk of cancer increases if the free to total ratio is less than 25%. The lower the ratio the greater the probability of prostate cancer. Measuring the ratio of free to total PSA appears to be particularly promising for eliminating unnecessary biopsies in men with PSA levels between 4 and 10 ng/mL.

Note that, both total and free PSA increase immediately after ejaculation, returning slowly to baseline levels within 24 hours.

[mmil]

Hi OhNo,

Thanks for the info. What is really odd about this ordeal, is that prior to my Prostatitis, my PSA was consistant, and <4. Since then, I have these weird numbers 7-8. I had a blood count done today, just to see where the white count is.

Can Prostatitis trigger Cancer? That is my big question. I seem to indicate more symptoms of BPH as a matter of fact. Unfortunately, I am aware of no physical symptoms of Prostate Cancer, other than the tests reveal.

Regards,
MM

[ohno]

I spoke to my skin doctor yesterday (we go hiking together) who has severe BPH, and asked what his PSA is--he has a low PSA. He's going in for HIFU for his BPH, HIFU was used for BPH long before cancer. I didn't ask him whether or not he has had a biopsy, I didn't feel comfortable asking as much as I'd liked to! I guess it's a good assumption he has. But I did find this on google answers: "While BPH is not cancerous, it can lead to prostate cancer." and "it can raise the PSA"....to 50? I don't know.

As long as you were seeing the vampire I wish you'd asked for the "Free PSA" test, it really is accurate, and might have saved you from the biopsy.

I also had no physical signs of cancer, and I don't know anyone who has, other than taking a long time to pee, which could have been BPH (I certainly was hoping for that).

[mmil]

Gents,

With regard to the "Free PSA Test", here is a printout of what my HMO test reults are:

Component Your Value Standard Range
PSA 7.84 <4.000- NG/ML

COMMENT 21 SEE NOTE
(NOTE)
A free PSA (including free PSA and free PSA percent) is
automatically being reflex ordered when the total PSA
level is greater than 4.0 or less than or equal to
10.0 ng/mL.

Is this the Free PSA test results number (7.84) or does the 'Comment 21' mean that the test is being reflex orderd, and I have yet to have it performed, and/or to see the results???

Can you interepret this info for me?

Component Your Value Standard Range
PSA 7.84 <4.000- NG/ML
COMMENT 21 SEE NOTE
(NOTE)
A free PSA (including free PSA and free PSA percent) is
automatically being ordered.

This is all rather confusing to me. I will senmt an email to my Urologist to see IF the 'Free PSA and Free PSA percent" has been ordered, and if the results re in fact provided in the above stats.

I am preparing for the worst, and praying for the best. The prosatitious sent the numbers to >50, that was a nasty infection. It was explained to me by both my Primary Doctor and the Urolgist (Surgeon) that cancer would not make the numbers rise to that extreme level. The Cipro brought the PSA down to 6.8 in about 8 months time. I was praying that the PSA would retun to my base level of 3.1- 3.4, but no such luck. Perhaps a different antibiotic (other than Cipro) would be worth evaluating. 30 years ago I was successfully treated with some form of 'old fangled' Sulfa drug, which cleared up the problem when the high tech drugs failed. Or maybe, since the Prostatitis, my new 'base line' is now in the 7-8 range.

This looks like the Free PSA test results you are refering to:

Free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) Percent free PSA
Probability of cancer

More than 25%:
8%

20%–25%:
16%

15%–20%:
20%

10%–25%:
28%

0%–10%:
56%

I am overwhelmed with all this crap.......

[ohno]

Great! good lab ~ that they automatically ordered the Free PSA test....

It's Bactrim that you took once before, it's the king of prostatis drugs, but only old timers will prescribe it, as they remember how great it works, without any side effcts, as you are right--it's just sulfur, and sulfur is the only thing that actually penetrates the prostate. So, it's not really a drug at all, in fact, if I was in your shoes, I'd drink some Epsom salts, read the container, the instructions are there. It's sulfur and sulfur will only help you! hummm, be kinda fun if you cured yourself!

and if it works...keep that Epsom Salts around, you sound like a cronic case.

[mmil]

Well, I just received word from the Urologist. My WBC is fine, but:

"Your WBC is 7.5, normal. Your free PSAs have been between 10-14, which is in the low range therefore slightly higher probablity that the elevated PSA is due to cancer."

What can I say, the optimism I have been trying to muster is fading fast.

[ohno]

oh...

I know where you are at, I was there a year ago myself, I didn't know one thing about that stupid gland in my groin.

Time to start educating yourself about options, I had HIFU and I had absolutely no discomfort or side effects at all, in fact, it was so easy that I watch men get erased and banned for talking about it at other cancer forums, the moderators simply don't believe it. The only down side is that most insurance doesn't pay for it because it isn't FDA approved yet, there are clinical trials going on which are free, or you can go to Bahamas or Mexico for treatment, and it will cost $25,000. plus travel expenses, but it was the best money I ever spent. I just got an email from a friend whose husband had HIFU:

"I feel as if I should post about the sex being terrific!!!, not just okay. We fooled around last week. It was 3 weeks on Friday. I love Dr. Scionti. We owe him big time. The best way we can think to repay him is to drum up business for him, it's hard to get the word out, that HIFU is great! I want to post in a way that won't offend the poor guys that were used and abused by their surgeons and radiologists. I know that not everyone is eligible for HIFU, but the guys that are, I want them to be happy like us. I still find it hard to believe that these surgeons can incapacitate their fellow man, and live with themselves."

Good luck, I agree though, at that Free # it doesn't look good. Happy to help anyway I can.

[mmil]

Thanks for your support, once again. One big fear is going to another country for the procedure. Do you happen to have a contact number, or email address for Dr. Scionti?

I am beside myself with words right now. I feel sadness and anger. Mostly lost.

Regards,
Mark

[ohno]

Dr. Scionti works in NYC and lives in Hilton Head, S. Carolina, he travels out of country every weekend to treat men with HIFU, he brings his own nurses, anesthiesologist and certified mechanic to monitor the machine. So, you really aren't out of the country completely. His staff is wonderful, they called me the day after and insisted I keep in touch by email or phone every three days with Dr. Scionti himself. I had nothing to report but I did keep in touch.

He is devoted to his speciality, I've never met a doctor that I respect and admire like him. He is The Man, he has taught all the urolgists in the HIFU clinical trials, he's treated some 700 men to date with HIFU.

Find him at www.nyhifucenter.com/ or call toll free 888-874-4384

Stephen M Scionti, MD
Clinical Associate Professor of Urology, NYU School of Medicine
Director of Prostate Cancer Ablative Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center
Regional Training Director, International HIFU
www.hifucarecenter.com
Office Locations: Hilton Head Island, SC and New York, NY
843-342-7607 (office) Hilton Head
646-744-1505 (office) New York
843-342-7640 ( FAX )
drscionti@yahoo.com

bummer.... but talk to him and you'll know you will be okay ~ heck ~ better than okay. The rest of the entire developed world does HIFU, Japan posts a 97% cancer free at 5 years, Europe 94%. It's in our future, I just couldn't wait!