Is PSA Level Of 15 In An Elderly Person A Cause For Concern?
Needs further Evaluation and investigations .
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for your query ,based on the facts that you have posted, it appears that your PSA is raised to 15 (Normal value is 4 ).
I shall be glad if you can post me few more details to help me in making comments on your problem-
1) Do you have obstructing voiding symptoms like increase frequency for urination , urgency for urination ,nocturnal frequency suggestive of Enlarged prostate which us very common at this age ?
2) Now I can understand that you're going to see Urologist , but have you consulted any Urologist previously who might've done Digital Rectal Examination examination?.
The raised PSA at this age is always suspected to be due to Cancer of the prostate unless proved otherwise by doing Ultrasound guided multicore biopsy of Prostate .
However it also gets raised due to enlarged prostate with secondary infection and after sexual activities like masturbation , and sexual intercourse that ends up with ejaculation or even after doing digital rectal examination .
Consult qualified Urologist for clinical and digital rectal examination and get following basic tests done to confirm the diagnosis.
1) Urine routine and culture.
2) Ultrasound scanning of abdomen and pelvis
3) Repeat Serum PSA.
4) Trans Rectal Ultrasound Scanning (TRUS)
Take antibiotics like Cefixime along with Nitrofurantoin twice daily for 2 weeks and
repeat serum PSA after observing abstinence for 4 days which includes no ejaculation for four days either due to masturbation or intercourse .
Further treatment and decision as regarding need for doing Prostate biopsy will depend upon result of these tests and final diagnosis.
Hope I have answered your query , please feel free to ask if you have more questions , I shall be happy to help you .
Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.
Plan of action should be as follow .
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for follow up and highlighting new facts .
In a given situation if you were happen to be my patient I would have following plan of action
1) Stop frequent masturbation ( Can have twice a week )
2) Start taking Antibiotics suggested earlier along with Tab Tamsulosin(0.4 mg) once daily.
3) Repeat your PSA after 2 weeks .If test shows lowering trend of PSA, you may need to continue antibiotics for 3 more weeks
4) Repeat PSA after one month with strict abstinence for four days. Decision regarding need for going ahead to do prostate biopsy will depend upon the PSA levels at that particular time and on rising or lowering trend of PSA values..
Since in most of the cases PSA goes down, I do not rush for biopsy . As such Prostate Cancer is very slow growing cancer hence there is no harm in delaying it for a month or so .
Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.