I know of no one who has rushed to surgery or radiation simply based on elevated PSA. The typical responses are:
1. A month of Cipro, then retest. If still elevated, a second month and retest.
2. If PSA is still high, probably do a biopsy. Depends on age, other health issues, family history, how high PSA spiked.
If no biopsy or nothing detected in it, then retest PSA more frequently at first, probably in 3 months, then in 6, then in 12 assuming no new spikes.
3. Only when something is actually found do I know of anyone undergoing surgery or radiation. That includes those with lots of family history, though they generally are more aggressive in getting treatment.
If we don't do routine screening, then we don't have a baseline. And we get complacent. And now with the folate issue is the wrong time to be complacent.
I have friends in their 50's and early 60's who spiked their PSA and chose to just wait. One already lost his bet. Prostate cancer confined to the prostate has a high "cure" rate, but once it escapes it is really bad to deal with.
I repeatedly spiked my PSA for nearly 15 years beginning in my 40's. Had a negative biopsy early on, another years later. Four years ago, spiked again and stayed high after Cipro. This time, a positive biopsy.
I had successful surgery, but just barely in time. It was starting to grow outside the prostate, but had not spread elsewhere.
Many cases of prostate cancer are detected during surgeries for problems with urination, not from PSA screening.
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