Mine was found as a note by doctor who did a colonoscopy less than a year after retirement:
“Colonoscopy fine: Nothing found, but noticed swelling in prostate — should check that”
Did.. Swollen and PSA Elevated. PSA Was being “watched”, but it had never been elevated, but it is now! Needle Biopsy confirmed. 4-6 on each side.
Decision Time! Had to wait a month for biopsy to heal. We had multiple options: We Chose Davinci Method of Complete Prostate Removal.
In recovery room Doctor/Surgeon told me: “Elvis” (We referred to it as: “Elvis”) “Elvis was 2 cell layers from leaving the building” Mine was a very Aggressive form. Surprised even the Doctor/Surgeon, confirmed by Pathology: It had more than doubled in size in that One Month’s wait to ‘heal’ since biopsy! Next PSA=0! 😁👍 Still: PSA Test every 6 Months!
6 years later, with NO PROSTATE in my body for 6 years: PSA JUMPED up from 0! PSA 3 months later doubled! 😱
It’s BACK!!! DAMN!! Plan B! (Depending on what Treatment was chosen first: (plan A: Davinci) Limits what treatment you can do IF it returns - Plan B! This was Part of original discussions with Doctor/Surgeon, that I thought would NEVER, EVER happen!). Holy SHIT – IT HAS!
Plan B: 39 daily treatments of 55 or so different directed Radiation Blasts, complete with multiple Tattooed “Aiming Targets” on my body to accurately aim the machine….. As it rotates around my body, whirring and humming! 6 months later: PSA=0! Yippee!
And Now: 3+ year’s later: PSA is still 0! I just changed from PSA every 6 month to PSA once a year. 😁🫰 (Plan C, if needed: Repeat Plan B)
I would suggest a PSA TEST EVERY YEAR!
Prostate Cancer can be a very slow progressing cancer, with plenty of ‘decision time’, and treatment options or, as mine was: a Very Fast Growing - Evolving Cancer, that is: Stubborn as Hell!
Without yearly testing you’ll never know “IF”– or more importantly: WHICH ONE you have: Without testing, so you have a reference, even if your results are PSA=0! (PSA is never 0, it reports as “Undetectable” by the machine testing for it!)
Watch it, and don’t delay or ignore if found!
$.02