# Biochemical recurrence (BCR)

Source: https://nuclide.cc/terms/biochemical-recurrence/  
Nuclide record `biochemical-recurrence` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from Nuclide (nuclide.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

PSA rising again after surgery or radiation, usually years before anything shows on a scan.

## Summary

Biochemical recurrence is a rising PSA after treatment for prostate cancer, usually years before anything is visible on a scan. It is defined as a PSA of 0.2 ng/mL or more after prostatectomy, or a rise of 2 ng/mL above the nadir after radiation. PSMA PET, with agents such as fluciclovine F-18 and Illuccix, can now find the recurrent disease at very low PSA levels in most men, opening the way to salvage radiation or metastasis-directed therapy. The EMBARK trial, reported in 2023, showed that enzalutamide with or without androgen deprivation delays metastasis in high-risk recurrence defined by a short PSA doubling time. The term is linked from the PSA entry and from ideas on PSMA-PET-guided metastasis-directed therapy and on localising residual disease.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-06

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemical_recurrence
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemical_recurrence

## Connected records

- isotopes: [Fluorine-18](https://nuclide.cc/isotopes/f-18/)
- indications: [Localised prostate cancer, high and very high risk](https://nuclide.cc/indications/prostate-high-risk/), [Prostate cancer](https://nuclide.cc/indications/prostate/)
- technologies: [PSMA PET](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/psma-pet/)
- trials: [EMBARK](https://nuclide.cc/trials/embark/)
- drugs: [Fluciclovine F-18](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/fluciclovine-f18/), [Illuccix (kit for Ga-68 gozetotide)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/illuccix/)
- ideas: [PSMA-PET-guided metastasis-directed therapy as a curative strategy in oligorecurrent prostate cancer](https://nuclide.cc/ideas/idea-psma-pet-guided-mdt/)

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