Somerset, N.J. – September 08, 2026 -- A prostate cancer specialist with more than 30 years of experience says his own diagnosis nearly slipped through the cracks despite a PSA reading that looked normal, a warning he's sharing as ProCure Proton Therapy Center marks National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
Dr. Edward Soffen said his PSA level was actually slightly lower than it had been six months earlier when his urologist flagged the result as 'labile,' meaning it fluctuates. That prompted a urine DNA test, which showed a 50 percent malignancy risk. A follow-up MRI and biopsy confirmed cancer.
A PSA under 4 ng/mL doesn't rule out cancer
Dr. Soffen said men with PSA readings in the 'normal' range, under 4 ng/mL, should still report any fluctuation to their doctor and ask about additional testing that can catch cancers PSA alone might miss.
Soffen weighed six treatment options before choosing protons
After ruling out surgery due to a higher complication risk, Dr. Soffen considered the range of radiation techniques he has personally performed on patients, including CyberKnife, radioactive seed implants, high dose rate brachytherapy, and conventional radiation with IMRT. Given his early-stage diagnosis, he chose proton therapy, which targets the tumor while sparing surrounding tissue.
"It was protons, hands down," Dr. Soffen said. "There was no question I made the right choice."
Trends over time matter more than a single reading, doctor says
Brian Chon, M.D., Medical Director at ProCure, said Dr. Soffen's experience underscores a message the center wants men to hear this month: a single PSA number doesn't tell the whole story. Chon said tracking trends over time, and testing when a result looks even slightly off, can be the difference between an early diagnosis and a missed one.