(snip)

What size is the prostate?? A certain amount of "benign" PSA is
expressed by healthy cells. An enlarged prostate will express more than
smaller glands.

The formula is: volume x 0.066 =  benign PSA. Anything in excess
requires explanation. Infection or prostatitis is a common reason for a
somewhat high PSA. Also: was the gland stressed within 48 hours of the
blood draw? Such stress could be ejaculation, a DRE, even bike riding.
The *least* likely explanation is PCa.

Second: I recommend that the lab be directed to send copies of all test
results to the patient. That way, he does not have to rely upon some
clerk in the uro's office to remember to call.

Objective and reliable information is available on the website of the
Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI) at:
http://prostate-cancer.org/index.html
Search on "Undiagnosed"

Regards,

Steve J

"The thing is to expect nothing in particular, but (to) be aware of the
lack of enforceable guarantees or enforceable contracts with
nature/god/entropy as to the condition or durability of our bodies."
-- Brian Brunner, PCa survivor, December 12, 2005 on The Prostate
Problems Mailing List
Thank you, Brian.

Hi Mark...You are right to follow up on your rising PSA.  Prostatitis
usually makes the PSA go up and down.  I don't know how many samples
they took on your biopsy, but looking for PCa is like the proverbial
needle in the haystack.  If you live in CA (Duke Bahn), MN (Fred Lee)
or NY (I've heard that MSK has an artist) you could consider a color
doppler ultrasound by an artist.  The cdus can image the entire
prostate, a biopsy can only probe about 80% of the prostate.  Other
tests such as the PCA3 test (a urine test that requires prostate
massage) could also be useful...best wishes and good health, ron

Your age is in your favor.  Very few get this disease at 45 -- though that
didn't help me.

The negative biopsy is also in your favor.

And, the enlarged prostate and apparently smooth texture is in your favor.

That said, biopsies can miss, especially in larger prostates.  And, your PSA
is certainly rising at a PCa rate.

Are you being treated for BHP?  if yes, I think I'd give it another three
months and get a 20-needle biopsy.

On the other hand Mark, you're in very early indeed with your
monitoring.  I keyed your PSA results into excel to plot a graph
(instructions at end if you want to do it yourself) and it does show a
gentle exponential rise.  But if just 2 of your 4 figures are slightly
distorted for any reason then this could shape the graph quite
differently so it's too early to be alarmed.

Also, PSA density (PSA/vol) is considered to be a significant
diagnostic tool, and the fact that you have an enlarged prostate puts
a better gloss on your PSA figures - your density will be lower and
that's good.  It might be worth getting a figure for the volume by MRI
scan if you don't already know what it is.

As Steve K suggested, another biopsy with more cores would probably be
wise and of course another PSA result soon to put into the graph would
help also.  I do hope you don't have PCa.  If you do, it looks like
you have plenty of time on your side.

Best of luck.

****************

(there's probably something online but I couldn't find it....this is
dead easy)

Open excel.  This should immediately give you a new unfilled excel
workpage - if not go to the menu at the top and select: File/New then
select 'blank workbook'

Click cursor on the 'A' of column 'A' so that the entire column is
highlighted. Go to the menu and select: Format/cells, click the
'Number' tab and select 'date' in the drop-down menu.  This opens up
another drop-down with lots of date-format options.  Run down these
until you get to one that looks like 'month-year'.  This seems to vary
but on my copy of excel I see 'Mar-01'.  Select that and click 'OK' at
the bottom of the dialogue box.

Work down the cells of column 'A' keying in your dates - you'll find
that it's quite tolerant of what you key in  - at least up to a point.
e.g. Dec2004 or 12/2004 will fill the cell with 'Dec-04'

Do that for all your dates.

Now go to column 'B'  and work down the cells of the column filling in
the PSA values which correspond to the dates in 'A'.

Select just the data in the 2 columns (don't include the column
headings) by click-dragging from the first to the last; i.e. if you've
got 6 dates in all, you'll click-drag from 'A1' to 'B6'.  The data
area should now be highlighted.

Go to the menu and select: Insert/chart and then 'XY (Scatter)' or
'Line' from the drop-down menu.  Then select finish.

That's it!   If you click on your graph you'll see various anchor
points from which to click-drag and stretch for optimum perspective
and size.

If anyone tries this and meets a problem let me know.

It is sometimes possible to distinguish between prostate cancer and BPH
by means of a free PSA test.   A low percentage suggests a higher risk
of prostate cancer.   This is sometimes helpful in deciding whether or
not repeat biopsies are appropriate.

Well I went in and the doctor did a biospy last week got the results today
they were negative. I was happy and the doc of course wants to see me in 6
months for another PSA,. He told me my volume of the prostate was 52grams.
It was high but not bad I don't have any real symptoms. What would be a
normal size prostate for a 46 year old?

Thanks for the reponse from the group previous and I lift all of you in
prayer it is the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. Fitting day for the news.
I follow a jazz guitar newsgroup and other than that and this group most of
the newgroups can be spam but your group is on task and a real community.