PSA Numbers

I have had a DRE and PSA blood test done annually since 1990, but was only given the actual PSA number beginning in 2003.

In my recent physical, the doctor detected a small nodule on the outside of the prostate gland; she estimated it at 1-2 mm. She has referred me to a urologist for follow-up.

My PSA in 2003 was 1.3; 1.6 in 2004. From 2007 through 2015 it has ranged from 1.8 to 2.5; the 3 most recent annual readings were 2.44, 2.21 and this year was 2.19.

Wondering what I might expect the urologist to recommend.

Welcome to HW.

A good URO would recommend some additional tests. Likely a repeat DRE to confirm. Possibly some imagining - MRI or CT - to see what it might be. Not all bumps are cancer, it could be a calcification (prostate stone) and harmless.

Your PSA isn't behaving like anything bad is going on. As we age PSA naturally increases.

A biopsy could be done to see what it really is. A URO might recommend that.

Andrew

Your PSA seems to be actually going down. It would be very unlikely that you have PC, given that your PC is decreasing. Still you should see the urologist since there are rare types of PC that do not give off PSA. The urologist will do a few tests and they will likely turn up nothing to worry about.