[Rising Prostate Specific Antigen following treatment with curative intention]

Rising Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is the primary and most sensitive sign of recurrent disease following treatment with curative intention of local prostate cancer. Depending on the treatment modality, a rising PSA should be interpreted differently. After radical prostatectomy PSA values exceeding 0.2 Ng/ml are considered a true recurrence. Depending on various variables such as the time span from operation to PSA recurrence, the PSA velocity, the PSA doubling time, etc., local recurrence vs. dissemination of the disease may be predicted. Following radiation therapy, PSA values > or = 2.0 Ng/ml over the nadir are considered to be true recurrence.