Raised PSA

I've lived for several years now with PSA around 8 and a diagnosis of Cancer. I'm now 66. What matters is how your PSA score changes (or not) over a number of tests. If it stays stable. there's very little to worry about. If it shoots up, no doubt your doctor will refer you for more investigations.

Is there a good medical reason for the testosterone injections?

"There's also, at least, a theoretical risk (with testosterone) of increasing the risk of prostate cancer or, if people have prostate cancer, of making it grow faster," Halperin said. "If you're going to start somebody on testosterone, part of the protocol is to check their prostate and check the PSA (a blood test for prostate cancer) to make sure it's not elevated - the feeling is if you were going to put somebody on testosterone, you want to make sure they don't have an obvious prostate cancer."

Thanks Pepasan and Derek. The low testosterone level was found a few years ago, possibly as a result of trauma and excessive alcohol when much younger. I stopped all alcohol over 10 years ago. It's the first time the PSA level has gone over 5, it's usually 2.5 ish. It's not tested very often. There's been no mention of cancer and I have a digital exam once a year. The PSA is still easily in the normal range too. I'll have a chat to my Dr this week. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac I think, especially after a bowel cancer scare and surgery 40 months ago! 

I was talking to my doctor several months ago regarding a raised PSA level. We both have a raised PSA. He thought his was caused mostly by the use of testosterone injections, which in his view, could feed the PCa,if present.(for many years he was a weight lifter) When I saw him last week and asked him how he was going, he said he stopped the injections as a precaution and has not had a retest done. He does not want to know!! He is more of the view if you have a PCa, then so be it.

I was recently invited to join a group testing the use of testosterone, but because I had a raised PSA, they said there was a possible increased risk of "making a prostate cancer situation worse" and they would not accept me on the cohort.

So, unless you have a very very good reason for the testosterone, I would quit it...very soon.   

That would do it If you don't have any problem peeing I would just leave it alone  Ken

I think if you search the internet you'll find that many, most?, doctors recommend not getting PSAs after the age of 70.  At that age, the treatment is usually far worse than having a little cancer confined to your prostate.

I've been on Testosterone for several years now.  My PSA has actually been going down.  A year prior to starting testosterone injections I had an acute bacterial prostatitis that sent my PSA from a baseline of .3 all the way up to 9.  a year later it was in the 3's and then dropped to the 2's on my last test.

Do not have a standard 12 needle Blind Biosy done by your Uro. Have a 3 T MRI done of the prostate and send it to one of the great Interventional Radiologist specializing in prostate cancer to review it. They will know and will tell you if and where you need a specfic one needle focal biopy done using a guided needle and an MRI.  

This is what I did. Then with no cancer, I had them remove the tissue that was causing my BPH. Very successful procedure for me. 

Main thing is stay away from those Urologist biopsies if you can and there are options. 

John