What happens if your PSA rises after surgery?

If prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, rises after surgery, a doctor may recommend a PSA blood test to determine the presence of prostate cancer, according to WebMD. If cancer is present, the doctor may recommend further tests such as an x-ray or a bone scan to determine the cancerous tissues.

The diagnosed cancer may remain confined to the prostatic bed, or it may spread to the tissues outside the prostatic bed, as About.com explains. While radiation may be appropriate for treating cancer that is in the prostatic bed, a doctor may recommend hormonal therapy to remedy cancer that has spread out of the prostatic bed.