A G9ner's concern with quarterly, six monthly, yearly PSA tests post RRP

I've just had my first 6 monthly blood test (Friday 13th March) and PSA < .01 -- I'm thankful but forever cautious.

After my next 6 monthly PSA test (I assume its still going to be PSA < .01), I'll move onto yearly tests.

A year for a G9'ner is a long time! I'm going to ask that my Uro requests 6 monthly tests and not move onto yearly test. Imagine you've just had your last 6 monthly test and the "beast" returns (BCR). The next time you find out is a year (12 months later). During this time a G9 could cause some serious damage.

My question is, should G9'ners stay on short cycle tests instead of yearly PSA tests?
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I absolutely agree you should not go onto annual tests. You are only a year and a half since surgery and are also a G9. Both for your own sanity and for the sake of having a decent set of data points to help you observe the trajectory of whatever is or is not going on, a year is too long between tests.

My own experience as a G7 PT3b has been erratic changes -- sometimes long periods with no significant change and then a sudden doubling -- e.g. several years at .02 or so and then a quick jump to first .04 then .1 in less than a year; then a couple of years at .1 followed by another sudden jump to .2 and then .4 in 6 months time. Had I let myself be lulled into annual tests I might well have hit 1.0 before knowing I needed SRT.
Jim

I have no idea, but congratulations on the great PSA number.

It don't get much better than that.

The way I figure it, if you test every six months you can have a great party every six months to celebrate!

you are having a party right?
I mean like, dude <.01!!! - I'll bring a couple cases of beer, maybe a whole keg...
Andrew

My Uro wanted to go yearly after my Orchie, I said no thanks, we'll stay quarterly thank you. Personally I think he was foolish to even suggest it, maybe he's inverting the 9 making it a 6.

Cheers, Doug

Its a personal decision with personal histories of all types thrown in for me to make a recommendation. Ive quit testing all together, life is gonna be to long for me to spoil it with a chopped up prostate sitting in a freezer somewhere for the past 5.5 years, winking at me every 3 6 9 or 12 mos to get my attention. and then saying, "who me , wasn't me … it was you" I'll take my chances with a force that needs not games. The " game" of life is quite silly, and at its best annoying, at its worst…. death itself. I will not be a victim…..ever… but hey, thats me.. For some strange reason, I feel I should apologize for such talk. Perhaps akin to the guilt of the sole survivor of a catastrophe.

Michael,
As a G 9er with such a low PSA, are you considering surgery? Sounds like you don't have any mets, so I'm curious as to where you go from here. Not too many G 9's I've seen that have your stats that are going off HT with prostate intact, but I'm still trying to get educated myself.
Beth

Ah, the brachy...I'm learning. Thanks Logo. I guess I needed the visual (at Michael's expense)! Sorry Michael. Good luck PSA3dot7 and Michael. Hope you get to put PCa down as a past experience for you.
Beth

I was getting them every 3 months after my first treatment of IMRT/HT....however...from one PSA to the next in a 3 month window...my PSA went from a .96 to a 234....so Id say as much as possible....In hindsight...I wish I paid for and had my own PSA done every month and not just 3 months....not sure if that would have mattered much.

Just like redwing, I get a quarterly shot and a quaterly PSA. If I was to ever go off Lupron, doubtful, I would go to no more than 6 month test as I am also a G-9 . . . Q