I guess PSA velocity was the signal I was in trouble, a year ago: my reading shot up from around the 4 kinda levels to 7.5, over just three months, and MRI and subsequent biopsy confirmed my benign Gleason 6 had advanced to a Gleason 8 tumour. That 8 level was also confirmed in labs tests on the tumour after I had my prostate robotically removed last August. I thank my lucky stars I went for that PSA test a year ago - what if I had skipped it? So easily done when you're busy, to knock it down the line a bit, isn't it?
I understand the concern over the cost of the PSMA PET Scan, but medicare will pay for it. Private insurance will as well IF the physician makes a case for it being used as a staging diagnostic tool. You have seen my comments regarding predictive analytics, this sort of imaging does that.
"OUCH, OUCH!!"-DOD cuts and any patient receiving radiation. Come on worldwide webinar participants, appreciate your comments BUT let's hear from you in THIS platform!
Another EXCELLENT post. When my PSA jumped from ~6-ish to 9.15 (at my last AS check) my Uro said "Let's do another PSA in a month to make sure that isn't a blip. I did not tell her that I had been a bad boy in terms of not doing things that aggravate the gland (yes Howard, I am woking on that write-up 😉), but her response fits right in with what Dr. Eggener says in this post. As for MRI, we are finally starting to catch up with the Brits (see the work done by Professor Mark Emberton in this regard).
Thanks, Paul.
Glad you're well.
I will be running a column next week on the status of PSA velocity.
Howard
I guess PSA velocity was the signal I was in trouble, a year ago: my reading shot up from around the 4 kinda levels to 7.5, over just three months, and MRI and subsequent biopsy confirmed my benign Gleason 6 had advanced to a Gleason 8 tumour. That 8 level was also confirmed in labs tests on the tumour after I had my prostate robotically removed last August. I thank my lucky stars I went for that PSA test a year ago - what if I had skipped it? So easily done when you're busy, to knock it down the line a bit, isn't it?
I understand the concern over the cost of the PSMA PET Scan, but medicare will pay for it. Private insurance will as well IF the physician makes a case for it being used as a staging diagnostic tool. You have seen my comments regarding predictive analytics, this sort of imaging does that.
Richard
Richard,
Will Medicare pay for a PSMA for a man with Gleason 6?
Howard
"OUCH, OUCH!!"-DOD cuts and any patient receiving radiation. Come on worldwide webinar participants, appreciate your comments BUT let's hear from you in THIS platform!
Thanks for the iupdate, Harley.
US lags UK on in prebiopsy MRIs.
Still.
Howard
Another EXCELLENT post. When my PSA jumped from ~6-ish to 9.15 (at my last AS check) my Uro said "Let's do another PSA in a month to make sure that isn't a blip. I did not tell her that I had been a bad boy in terms of not doing things that aggravate the gland (yes Howard, I am woking on that write-up 😉), but her response fits right in with what Dr. Eggener says in this post. As for MRI, we are finally starting to catch up with the Brits (see the work done by Professor Mark Emberton in this regard).