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Very late local recurrence after surgery for prostate cancer unaccompanied by detectable PSA levels

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Abstract

The possibility and possible aetiology of local prostate cancer (PC) recurrence despite undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels are highlighted. A case of a local recurrence 8.5 years after radical prostatectomy for Gleason 3+4 PC is presented. It demonstrates that PC can recur, even after a prolonged period of time (8.5 years), despite undetectable levels (i.e. <0.02 ng/ml) of PSA. In conclusion, the decision to omit digital rectal examination from the follow-up regimens of men with undetectable PSA levels could be justified. In such exceptional cases, however, PC recurrence would be either missed or would only be diagnosed after a considerable delay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    S Roemeling & F H Schröder

  2. Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    G J L H van Leenders

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  1. S Roemeling
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  2. G J L H van Leenders
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  3. F H Schröder
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Correspondence to S Roemeling.

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Roemeling, S., van Leenders, G. & Schröder, F. Very late local recurrence after surgery for prostate cancer unaccompanied by detectable PSA levels. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 9, 192–194 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500861

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500861

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