I just got my yearly psa check post RP
8 years out I am grateful for another good test, <0.1

My question to the forum is this; I use Labcorp for my tests the last 4 years or so. The PSA assay they do gives a lowest value as <0.1

Is this a good enough assay? Should I encourage my uro to do a more sensitive test? In the beginning of
my post RP journey I guess I went to labs that used a more refined test as you can see from below the low values were more like <.02 etc.

Am I still in the "Zero Club"? Hmmmmm.... last year my uro said that this was a good enough assay because he wouldn't initiate therapy anyway til it climber over 0.1...

I'd very much appreciate any thoughts from you lads.......

Yeah!!! Zero club!!!

You're in. Ultra sensitive tests are anxiety generators and in your case not needed.


Andrew

If you agree with your Uro not to treat unless the PSA tops 0.1, then there's no reason for a uPSA. All it would do is create needless anxiety, as others have observed. Imagine how you'd feel if you did a uPSA this month and it came back 0.06. You'd start worrying why you'd risen from <.02 in four years. What therapeutic advantage would all that worrying buy you? None. Then you'd retest in six months and if it came back .07 or .08 you'd be pulling your hair out. Still over nothing.

The only reason to seek out uPSA testing is if you disagree with your Uro and would treat earlier than 0.1. I'm not knowledgeable enough to say what the trigger point should be after eight years without BCR. But I suspect any slight advantage in long-term survival from treating sooner would be more than offset by the sacrifice in quality of life from side effects of radiation and/or hormone therapy.

Thanks folks---- I very much appreciate the insights of each of you--- wisdom and common sense---I'll relax and keep on keeping on about the tests..............again-- huge thanks for your thoughtfulness.....