Frequently Asked Questions   /   Types of Cancer

PSA Bounce

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Last Modified: December 2, 2007

Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts,"

Can you please describe what a PSA bounce is?

Richard Whittington, MD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, responds:

The “PSA bounce” has been described primarily after brachytherapy, but is also seen infrequently after external beam radiation therapy. The cause is unknown, but the time course is consistent with the fibrosis (scarring) that occurs in the prostate region after brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy. The local fibrosis is denser after brachytherapy, so it is reasonable to suspect that this is the cause of the bump. It occurs 12-36 months after implant, and can last for 6 to 9 months. PSA bounces have been reported to rise as high as 8.0 ng/mL, but most bumps are in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 ng/mL.