PSA Tests Not Taken

My urologist turned me over to primary care doctor just short of 2 years after prostate surgery. My GP failed to order PSA tests for the next 30 months. Now, I am PSA 1.7 - which is too high for salvage radiation. Certainly my fault for not paying attention, but does my GP also bear responsibility for not ordering tests?

KAS316 said...
Now, I am PSA 1.7 - which is too high for salvage radiation.

Why do you say that?

And welcome to HW,
lots of folks here have had medical providers give bad advice and not do what they are suppose to.

What you're suggesting boarders on malpractice and incompetence. There is no reason to not test post treatment. In fact it's one of the better indictors of treatment progress. A competent doctor would know that. The controversy about not testing is using PSA as a screening test. Once you have treatment that drops (especially in the case of removal), and progress of the disease can be track by simple, regular PSA tests.

If you're asking what treatments can you do now, we'd need a few more details to give a decent answer. What was your gleason score, initial PSA, what treatments have you had?

SRT with HT might still be a possibility.

Andrew

Your first step should be to get an advance scan, Either the approved Auxumin scan Or one of the PSMA pet scans that are in trials. Your PSA it should show where the cancer is. With that information you can talk about deciding on whether to treat with salvage radiation or a more systemic treatment.

As far as your question goes yeah, Uro should’ve made sure that you were testing regularly if he was going to pass you off to your GP and the GP should’ve known to test based on your history.
Water under the bridge. Whether you want to make it a malpractice suit is up to you. But you should at least admonish your GP letting him know that you know that he did wrong. Maybe it will scare him into not doing it to somebody else

Sorry to hear - it certainly doesn’t sound like good care was provided. Still, looking ahead you should definitely get an advanced scan to see what you are up against. Perhaps local treatments are still be an option — my post-surgery PSA was 4.5 with the only visible sources on Axumin scans were two lymph nodes so I’m getting radiation ( it also with ADT for any systemic disease).

no your gp is not to blame...your uro is not to blame...the fact that psa testing is or is not being questioned is not to blame...Its all on you sir...I bet you don't even know what your psa was when your uro released you {funny word but apropos}..you went to the first uro your gp or hmo referred you to followed him blindly...never researched the disease on your own...(how am I doing)….never responded to why you think a psa has any thing to do with salvage treatment...1.7 psa id est...betcha your uro told you that...he probably knows little about salvage tx after rpp...and knew you didn't so just said anything to close the case...you seem more interested in finding out who or what to blame( inspite of claims otherwise) than figuring out what to do about your status now...harsh...stings...instead of be offended...admit to your lack of involvement...and get on the stick and deal with this now and whenever medical problems arise...Its all on you...all the rest is...you ain't gonna like this ..the other members//mods may not either...but as Barry Goldwater said back in the early 60's " in your heart you know Im right...in reality the advice and bucket of water im throwin on ya is the best thing that could happen for you...for...some uro's and Gps are better than others...there was no malpractice from anyone here,,,other than yourself...for yourself...move own and stay on this forum for advice based on where you are right now...Id like to think this will move you to take responsibility for your medical needs...but I have little faith it will or that the forum will even let you see this....everyone wants to be "nice"...rhetorical question/editorial next...Why oh why are so many folks nice when they shouldn't and not nice when they should be????...Its rampant...and destructive...toodles.." have a nice day"

unfortunately there are a lot of practioners who just want to push you thru the system
Most of my life did of have a health care issue at all
Well cause of a slightly high PSA test was sent to a URO who was a nightmare. He did the biopsy but I moved on. I consider myself lucky in a way cause it was a wake up call. The only way I am going to get whats best for me is to be proactive at finding the right people to help me. I could have easily been one with the head in the sand That means either sensing or know when something is not right .Also reconsidering MY GP for a couple of reasons.

As a patient you are the loser if things don't go well so be aware.
This site is a great resource

Thank you all

So much for my rambling 2 cents