Tests are looking like PC

User

Posted 16 Mar 2017 at 10:13

This is my very first time posting so please accept my apologies in advance if the info I provide is not clear.

I am 44 and as part of a routine set of bloods my PSA can back at 3.25and my first DRE showed a nodule on my apex this was confirmed by the urologist.

I have now had a n MRI and they have confirmed a 1cm nodule on the Apex and they want to biopsy asap as the MRI could not determine malignancy or not. Can anyone advise if a Biopsy is the only way they can be sure one way or another and what % of biopsy's come back with malignancy.

I have two young kids and I am scared to death

Thanks Everyone

Lee

User

Posted 16 Mar 2017 at 14:15

Hi Lee,
In addition to my previous response on the other post, yes biopsy is the only way to be sure if it is cancer or not. In terms of % i do not know the answer. My husband's PSa was also around 3 and his tumour was not even visible on the MRI but the biopsy came back with 8 of 12 samples positive for cancer. His score was Gleason 3 + 3. His urolologist was surprised by the result. I suspect your chances of a positive diagnosis are a little higher as something can be seen in the prostate.
It is a very scary time but hopefully if it is positive you have been caught early and it can be treated.
Julie

User

Posted 16 Mar 2017 at 15:39

Lee

I'm 46 with a 15 year old and 17 year old, so I know how you feel. Did you have a multi-parametric MRI? If you did, you could ask for your PIRAD score. My PIRAD score was 5, meaning that clinically significant cancer is highly likely to be found on biopsy. It was found - T3b and Gleason 9.

Ulsterman

User

Posted 16 Mar 2017 at 20:02

No point delaying the biopsy for another scan, more detailed or otherwise. The urologist has felt a nobble, it can be seen on the scan, it is in the most common area for PCa ... the only way to know for sure is to have the biopsy. It doesn't really matter what % of men have clear biopsies - a clear biopsy does not confirm that there is no cancer, simply that it wasn't picked up in that particular set of cores.

To put it into context, 50% of men in their 50s (and so presumably 40% of men in their 40s) will have a small amount of prostate cancer but most never know because they don't have any problems so it never gets diagnosed. Or the problems only emerge as they get older and treatment is offered later. If you do get a positive result, it sounds like it has been picked up early and you will gets lots of advice about treatment options etc.

Edited by member 17 Mar 2017 at 00:47 | Reason: Not specified

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 16 Mar 2017 at 21:15

It seems very likelyfrom what you say that the biopsy will reveal PCa. The scan will enable particular search of the suspicious area. I recommend you go to the publications section of this forum and obtain the 'Toolkit'. This provides very helpful information about the disease and treatments.

Barry

User

Posted 16 Mar 2017 at 22:36

Hi Lee

Some info here

Info on repeat biospy (2009) - UK
https://bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2490-9-7

Jan 2017 BBC - stats and data
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38665618

However I concur 100% with Lyn. I like quite a few men are asymptomatic and found to have PCa. Do read my profile. My brother did have PI-RAD 4 and 'delayed' biopsy a few months. Anything suspicious which they have clearly identified in your case, has to be physically sampled. DRE can only 'feel' less than 50% of gland. Obviously could be benign.

I made decision on my first and only biospy due to PSA velocity increase (not doubling). Zero symptoms.

My brother made his decision on his first and only biospy due to PI RAD 4 (mp MRI scan), poor flow, getting up regularly at night and discussions with myself.

Hope you are soon sorted.

Gordon

User

Posted 17 Mar 2017 at 06:54

Gordon and Lyn are right. My husband's case is one of them. He is asymthomatic. Even his PSA is not too high for his age (68). And what is more, not increasing in the last years. Only when he had infections and then down. Two previous clean biopsies within the last 13 years.

There's something in my mind that makes me so angry with his urologist here, in our town: he stopped doing him DRE in the last yers. He would do a sonography, but not not a rectal one, I mean (sorry for me English today)from the outside. Now, these days in Madrid, the urologists did and could feel the abnormality in his finger.
Now, MP MRI showed he had PI RADS 5 and consequently a 4+3=7 adenocarcinome.
All men must be aware of this matter.

We are still in shock. I'm afraid it has spread, eventhough MP MRI said it was inside his prostate but stetching the capsule and a possibility of minimal afectation out of it. We have been sid that it's likely that after operation it could be upgraded.
Best wishes to all PCa fighter and their families.

Lola.

User

Posted 13 Apr 2017 at 22:52

My husband had no symptoms either. Gleason 9, but no spread. He found his because I sent him to the GP for a hearing test. The GP said he needed to see the nurse, but while he was there, he might as well have a well man check, and as they were taking blood for cholesterol, did he want a PSA test.

Pure fluke.

It's best to know sooner

User

Posted 14 Apr 2017 at 20:50

Lee

I fully sympathise with your situation, I'm 50 and had a PSA come back at 5.6 from a routine medical at work. I had no symptoms and I was convinced it was all a false positive and everything would be OK - until I had the biopsy (Gleason 3+4, T2a). I have two boys 13 and 16 and it completely blew my world apart for a while - which was hard as I still had to go to work and act as if nothing had changed.

I was as scared of the biopsy as I was of the possible result. I had a transperineal template-guided biopsy which a required a general anesthetic and apart from visits to A&E for sports injuries, I had never had hospital treatment or an operation. I need not have worried as I was in very good hands.

When I was diagnosed, the point my surgeon and urologist kept making and re-enforcing at every visit, was that I was lucky, it has been spotted early, treatments were available with excellent results. Their view was I needed to deal with it because it wasn't going away by itself. He also pointed out that there was nothing I could have done differently to avoid the cancer, i.e. I could not blame myself. Both of these points kept me going during the darker times.

I am now five months in to Brachytherapy and my first PSA was 0.9

I agree with the other posts - its best to know sooner. If you have PCa, it isn't going away and you will need to think about your treatment strategies. If you don't have PCa - what a relief!

CRAIG

User

Posted 16 Apr 2017 at 20:37

Hi Lee,

I feel for you right now, I was in you your position in November 2016. I'm 46 had no symptoms, my GP just recommended a DRE while I was seeing him for something none related. Like you I have two children 13 and 14 and immediately had thoughts like am I going to see my kids get married and so on raced through my head.

My GP felt something and so it started PSA 11, then MRI and Biopsy. 12 out of 15 came back positive, got diagnosed T3b Gleason 9. The Biopsy wasn't a big deal was over quickly, I agree with the other guys I recommend having Biopsy. With the results so far you have to date if biopsy is positive it's quiet likely you've caught it early and hopefully hasn't spread from the prostate.

I'm a few months down the road and don't want to blast you with too much detailed information but feel free to message me if you want.

All the best

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