Prostatitis and PSA

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Pramesh Rutajit - 22 Sep 2006 23:51 GMT

I see that prostatitis can increase PSA levels, but what is the range of
increases?

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Pramesh Rutajit - p2976221tongue@newsguy.com - remove tongue to reply.

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Steve Jordan - 23 Sep 2006 00:45 GMT

On September 22, Pramesh Rutajit inquired:

> I see that prostatitis can increase PSA levels, but what is the range of
> increases?
>

I don't think that anyone knows. I've seen estimates in the "several"
category.

As with so much else in this field, the results depend upon the
individual's characteristics.

Regards,

Steve J

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Steve Kramer - 23 Sep 2006 02:59 GMT

>I see that prostatitis can increase PSA levels, but what is the range of
> increases?

Dr. Patrick Walsh wrote a book on prostate health (not his "Guide to
Surviving Prostate Cancer"). I do not have it right now as I've loaned it
to someone at work. But, in it, I believe, he associates the amount of PSA
with the size of the prostate wherein prostatitis is concered. So, within a
range, it's probably dynamic.

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PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000 G7 (3+4), T3cN0M0 Neg margins
PSA .1 .1 .1 .27 .37 .75
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .34 .22 .15 .21 .32
Lupron 07/03 (1 mo) 8/03 (4 mo), 12/03, 4/04, 09/04, 01/05, 5/05, 10/05,
2/06, 6/06
PSA .07 .05 .06 .09 .08 .132 .145
Casodex added daily 07/06
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Pramesh Rutajit - 24 Sep 2006 03:55 GMT

>>I see that prostatitis can increase PSA levels, but what is the range of
>> increases?
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> with the size of the prostate wherein prostatitis is concered. So, within
> a range, it's probably dynamic.

Interesting. I'll have to look for that book. My PSA was 2.9 for several
years and then dropped to 1.9 for the last 3 years. Perhaps a change in
lab procedures? In any case, I was really sick one Thursday evening and
all the next day with heavy pain in the deep pit of my stomach that would
randomly come and go. The following day - a Saturday - after spending that
Friday in bed I discovered that I had high blood sugar after meals, over
200. That Saturday I started up an exercise program and Sunday, I raised
the seat on my bike to the right height - it can't be adjusted to tilt
farther forward - and did a 5 mile ride, the first all year. Sex also on
Sunday. On Monday morning, I took the Male Profile blood test from the
Life Extension Foundation. (I had had this blood work done in mid Augest
but the the lab screwed up and only did the CMP/CBC/Cholesterol part which
was all normal and the readings I normally get.) When I got my blood work
back from the second test, taken 3 weeks later, a lot of readings were out
of whack from normal. A lot of readings were 10-20 percent different than
my normal and several were highlighted as going outside the normal range
and several pegged right at the high end of normal. The PSA came back at
14. I was wondering if prostatitis?, a new bike, a bike ride that wasn't
part of a normal routine, follow by sex might explain a jump from 1.9 to
14. Urine flow decreased from normal to slow during the first week around
the blood work and then returned mostly to normal. In any case, I'm
waiting about two weeks and am going to run the CBC/CMP tests again and
about 30 days after my last PSA I'm going to check it again along with free
PSA. If all is well, ok. If not, I guess this calls for a visit to the
doctor. I was curious if prostatitis "could" raise PSA 10+ points, hence
the question. My prostate is slightly enlarged. The down side is that I
give myself testosterone injections weekly and have had testosterone
prescribed for the past 8 years. Durning all that time, PSA did not seem
to progress and stayed constant.

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Steve Kramer - 24 Sep 2006 11:44 GMT

> When I got my blood work
> back from the second test, taken 3 weeks later, a lot of readings were out
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> prescribed for the past 8 years. Durning all that time, PSA did not seem
> to progress and stayed constant.

Have you had a digital rectal exam? Have you had a biopsy?

I'm not sure about the lab tests that come back 10 to 20% out of normal
range in such a short time, but a PSA of 14 with urine flow decrease is
something that would cause be to get a DRE and biopsy right away. You may
have bad lab results. You may have cancer.

And, no, bicycle seats and sex do not raise PSA 737%.

Finally, 8 years of testosterone, according others here who have experienced
testosterone injections, can cause prostate cancer.

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Alan Meyer - 24 Sep 2006 17:45 GMT

Pramesh,

I'm not a doctor or expert of any kind and don't know the
answers to your question, but I'll pass along a comment
a doctor made to me.

He said that normal variation in PSA between tests can
be up to 30%. I believe he was talking about changes
due to stress on the prostate (for example due to sex)
- and only for prostates that were themselves normal.

If he's right and if I understood him correctly, sex and
bike riding could not account for the great change. I
don't know about prostatitis. I have had prostatitis
myself and I think it accounted for PSA rises of 1-2
points.

Alan

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callalily - 25 Sep 2006 19:33 GMT

> > sh Rutajit - p2976221tongue@newsguy.com - remove tongue to reply.

Did you tell the doctor about the 5-mile bike ride? There are some
people who think bicycle riding before the test can raise PSA levels.
I agree it's unlikely to cause such a spike but make sure you mention
it.

Good Luck,

Leah

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Pramesh Rutajit - 06 Oct 2006 22:57 GMT

>>>I see that prostatitis can increase PSA levels, but what is the range of
>>> increases?
[quoted text clipped - 38 lines]
> prescribed for the past 8 years. Durning all that time, PSA did not seem
> to progress and stayed constant.

Two weeks after the first test with a PSA of 14, it has dropped to 7. I
will be seeing my doctor next week for a DRE. A self-DRE feels very normal
for the 75% of the prostate I can reach. I suspect that I had prostatitis
and don't know if an antibiotic will be needed or if this will ultimately
resolve by itself. Urin flow has normalized since the blood was drawn for
this last PSA test 9 days ago. I think I'll wait at least 30 days before
doing the next PSA, perhaps longer. I would like to get a non-prostatitis
reading.

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