This was in an email my pathologist sent me from Johns Hopkins. It might explain why those of you with a low but steady PSA comes back after RP.
"The prostate is not a perfectly shaped organ and surgeons can easily leave benign tissue behind causing a rise in PSA after many years.
Agree, Gleason 6, organ confined, has no risk of distant metastasis. There is very remote chance of having a local recurrence as the apical area of the prostate has ill-defined limits and there could be some glands left behind. Additionally, even when the prostate is entirely examined histologically, sections are taken every 3 mm and a higher-grade cancer could, in theory, been missed. However, recurrence cases are anecdotal, and I have yet to see a case despite reviewing thousands of cases per year.”
It’s like you can’t get rid of your prostate even if you wanted to. Geez.
Post Edited (ChrisR) : 1/18/2025 11:14:16 AM (GMT-5)