Psa 4.1 I'm 40 years old

I just had a psa test two weeks ago of a 4.1. The doctor seemed really concerned for someone my age having a high psa number. In your experiences starting this process.....does a high psa usually always a pretty good indicator it's cancer? I go and retest tomorrow then I leave on vacation for 2 weeks. I know great timing lol. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

My baseline PSA was the same as yours Daniel. It'd go down...then up....limped along for 4 to 5 years before biopsy. Cipro....blood tests...etc....

I don't recommend you do that.

Go on your vacation.

Come home...and start ruling stuff out.

Daniel,

A high PSA in a guy your age is a very poor indicator of prostate cancer. Most (but not all) men with prostate cancer will have elevated PSA but most men your age with a high PSA don't have prostate cancer. The PSA test has a lousy rate of false positives, especially in young guys like you.

There are better tests, by the way. If your retest comes back high again you might ask your doctor about a blood test called a Prostate Health Inventory (PHI) that does a better job of weeding out false positives. It is a newish test but insurance companies are starting to pay for it and even if they don't it's not particularly expensive.

If you look at the information in the signatures of the guys who have posted answers to your question you will see a similar progression -- a high PSA... that goes up and up... and a biopsy... or two... or four... that comes back positive for cancer... that needs to be treated... and they complain (endlessly in my case) about the side effects of treatment. This can give the impression that this is how things go for guys with that first high PSA reading. What you need to remember is that most of the guys who post here a lot are among those very few guys who did have prostate cancer that was worth treating. The majority -- the guys who don't have prostate cancer -- don't usually hang around here very much. They go on vacation.

Where are you going? Be sure to tell us about your vacation when you check back in with the results of that retest.

Some information that follows up with Peter's recommendation. Good luck.
Enjoy your vacation and your family!

http://www.practiceupdate.com/content/use-of-the-prostate-health-index-for-detection-of-prostate-cancer/55074/15/3/1

Another thing I forgot to mention...my general physician did a prostate test where he felt the prostate and he said it was fine. If it was cancer would he have felt that?

Ty so much!!!!!

Biopsies are annoying, uncomfortable and undignified. Most guys don't have much pain, some do.

The standard is a transrectal needle biopsy - which is about what it sounds like. An ultrasound probe is put in your rectum and they take 12 samples with a spring loaded needle.

Not horrible, but not something you want unless it's really, really needed.

It's an outpatient procedure, most do it with a local, but you can do general if desired (costs more and not always needed).

Andrew

wow good luck to u too!!!!! Ty everyone for ur help and info!!!! When I made this post I wasn't expecting so many helpful and caring people to respond and for that I am grateful!!!!! about to be at my doc in about 45 mins to repeat the psa test.

D-.........THIS IS THE BEST NEWS I HAVE HEARD ALL DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........... Party Down tonight !!....I`m mixing one for you right now!.........David

Ty so much!!!!!!!

Dan, That's a great outcome!

Just curious, what was your PSA--or did they even do it? And, seriously, If there are any PC risk factors in your life, such as a 'first line' male relative, father, brother, uncle, nephew, who has high level PC, it's not too early to start getting annual PSA and DRE exams, and logging the results.

Now that you've got some education (for example, that PSA is not a cancer test)--one author has called the male check engine light--your risk of falling into the overtreatment trap is quite a bit lower.

Glad you found us and checked in--and even gladder that it turned out to be a non-issue. Now, have a good vacation, and hopefully it will provide private time for you and your intimate partner to enjoy each other and celebrate that you still have all your parts.