WEll, it's been an interesting WEEK since I learned the latest 6 mos PSA went thru the roof--- post treatment... (hit 9.7 and started prior to radiation at 7.5
I had to chuckle on the way to the Urologists meeting today, a solid week after I got the PSA results.. it hit me that I felt like I was driving to me own funeral...now there'd be a unique experience...
Anyway, on a more serious note:
He said he was
surprised that the PSA shot up so high, but his take is that means that there were some cells, cancer cells, that got
outside the prostate and into either a lymph or bone area...
His VIEW is that a few thousand such cells would have shown up on the bone and lymph scan they did prior to treatment, so he's inclined to
think that those cells more likely (???) are in the
hundreds but are still putting out PSA readings, thus the elevated test readings...
OPTIONS: he said we could do a PET scan but since it's only been a year, he doubts they'd show much, but it might...big word, MIGHT, like "IF"
He also said we could start two daily pills that can intervene with cancer cell growth, but they are generic and have a few side effects:
His advice is to get the Colonoscopy done to snip out any pre cancerous polyps or diverticuli and wait 3 mos for another PSA test and depending on THOSE results perhaps start the pills...
Better'n a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but so far they've been wrong on most everything they've thought so it doesn't fill me with joy or tons of confidence...
Now, back to finding an affordable RX plan required by the Govt