i think people forget about validity and reliable or what is called V
and R of a test.  is a test valid and measure what it's suppose to?  and
once it passes that standard,  the second question comes into play.  is
that test reliable?  if the answer is yes to both, then you have a tool
that can be used in terms of assessment.

but just because a test comes back high doesn't mean that something's
wrong with the test.  it means it did it's job and detected a higher
level of psa.   now, why?

as i read your previous post, nowhere did i see where your doctor put
you on any form of antibiotics before running the test again BEFORE
requesting you to have a biopsy.  if he had done so, the numbers may
have reflected that as the source of the elevated psa.  

as you have noticed from all the posts, once you have pca, your psa will
never go back down.  your psa will go up and down is reference to a
prostate infection but the pca cells will pump out a constant amount of
psa and continue to increase depending on the gleason score.

you ask about the need for a second psa test before a biopsy.  i would
have to agree.  in fact, this is what they did to me.  my psa was 5.8
and they put me on two weeks of antibiotics, then ran the test.  it
dropped to 4.7 and then they sent me to urology for the biopsy.

 if you can't trust the psa test, then what's out there that you can
trust?  we only have two major tools that are being used.  the DRE and
the psa test.  short of opening you up and looking at the prostate
itself, it's a game of chance until they know for sure.  

i'm glad that the biopsy came back negative and that you are doing well
and appreciate the feedback.  you are far ahead of the game than i was
at your age. and be being aware of what could happen to the prostate
also puts you way ahead.  

best wishes to you.

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional    
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."
http://community.webtv.net/PALMER_ENT/doc