Many of us, who are dealing with advanced prostate cancer, become understandably concerned about our rising PSA. Given free choice, we all would be much happier if our PSA just disappeared and became undetectable. Granted, a rising PSA is indeed a bad sign, but the rate of rise and how we actually feel is more important and a better prognosticator then the actual PSA number.

Just think about the other men you have met, some of them are walking around feeling great with PSA’s in the hundreds or even thousands, while others are terribly sick with PSA’s that are less than 10. Each man’s prostate cancer is different and each of us responds differently to our cancer. Some prostate cancer tumors do not generate much PSA, but they can be lethal and debilitating.

Joel T Nowak MA, MSW