Prostate Cancer

[MoMo]

My 71 year old dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer 9 years ago. He had the radiation seeds and approximately in one year his PSA level was 0.00. Over the last year or two, the PSA level is rising. It is around 2.0 presently.The md's want to wait and see if continues to climb. He was told that they usually don't do anything until the PSA level is much higher. I spoke with a Radiation Oncologist at the hospital I work in and he told me that a prostate biopsy could be done if he was in good health. I really didn't think a prostate biopsy could be done unless there is a prostate unless they are just getting tissue around where the prostate use to be. Does anyone have any information on this? I have searched the web and couldn't find anything. Thank you

[UroDoc]

My 71 year old dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer 9 years ago. He had the radiation seeds and approximately in one year his PSA level was 0.00. Over the last year or two, the PSA level is rising. It is around 2.0 presently.The md's want to wait and see if continues to climb. He was told that they usually don't do anything until the PSA level is much higher. I spoke with a Radiation Oncologist at the hospital I work in and he told me that a prostate biopsy could be done if he was in good health. I really didn't think a prostate biopsy could be done unless there is a prostate unless they are just getting tissue around where the prostate use to be. Does anyone have any information on this? I have searched the web and couldn't find anything. Thank you

The seeds are put into the prostate so his prostate is still there, it has not been removed. I would agree with watching the rise for now. It is assumed that any rise is related to return of prostate cancer, bugt a biopsy cold be done. You can start seeing recurrence of prostate cancer at about 10 to 15 years so this is not uncommon. Options include hormonal management or cryotherapy, where the prostate is frozen thus killing the cancer. This would require conformation that the prostate has cancer with a biopsy. YOu might want to ask his doctor about this option, Good luck.

[MoMo]

Thank you very much for your response. It was helpful.

[kdunbar]

His prostate is STILL there, the seeds did not remove it.
KD