Results

After prostate brachytherapy, you may undergo follow-up blood tests to measure the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. These tests may give your doctor an idea of whether treatment has been successful.

It's not unusual for your PSA level to rise suddenly after prostate brachytherapy and then decline again (PSA bounce). Your doctor will likely continue monitoring your PSA level to make sure it doesn't continue to rise.

Ask your doctor when you can expect to know whether your prostate cancer is responding to treatment.

Treatment for a rising PSA after brachytherapy

A persistently rising PSA level after brachytherapy may indicate that the cancer has returned. Your doctor may recommend imaging tests and a prostate biopsy to look for signs of cancer.

If your cancer has returned and is confined to your prostate, you have several treatment options, including treatments to freeze the cancer cells with very cold liquid (cryotherapy), heat the cancer cells with high-intensity focused ultrasound, or surgery to remove the prostate (salvage prostatectomy).

If your cancer has spread beyond your prostate, other treatments, such as hormone therapy, may be considered.