Early cancer symptoms

User

Posted 08 Apr 2017 at 17:10

My story. Would appreciate feedback. Do not know where I stand!

End of last Summer around September I started have end of penis burning pain with slight pain in the perineum area. Urologist said it could be a fungal infection. Once in summer I spent hours in the sea with penis exposed to salt water. Thought it would help but did not!

Creams did not work. In November I did an MRI of prostate which was diagnosed as probably an inflammation but low Gleason not ruled out. Urologist said most probably an inflammation and recommended another MRI 3 months later. Now I got the result and as prostate imaging stayed same but diagnosis changed to possibility of low Gleason malignancy stage T2a though inflammation not entirely ruled out. A biopsy is scheduled for 8th May. Now what is bothering me is this burning pain in the anus perineum and sometimes penis which is intolerable when sitting down but goes as wheel lying down. I have devoured the internet for information and am not sure what is causing this pain. Am not sure whether this kind of pain is associated with early stage prostate cancer. Has anyone experienced this? Your feedback is so welcome and would be appreciated.

User

Posted 08 Apr 2017 at 19:19

End of penis pain is not a recognised indicator of prostate cancer and physiologically I don't think there is anything that would explain how cancer cells in the prostate could lead to pain at the penis tip so I can see why the doctor was minded more towards infection or inflammation. But since 60% of men in their 60s and 70% of men in their 70s have some cancer in their prostate, it is possible that you could be diagnosed with both inflammation and cancer I guess. No point trying to guess what the outcome of the biopsy will be though; your specialist knows where the grey area is and will direct the biopsy needles to that area.

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

User

Posted 09 Apr 2017 at 12:22

Many thanks LyneEyre! Your quote is inspiring. My symptoms are closer to prostatitis and I read somewhere it is hard to distinguish prostatitis from cancer in some MRIs. Yes I just have to wait. They gave me appointment for 8th May but would do anything to have biopsy done earlier, possibly in the UK.

User

Posted 27 Dec 2018 at 07:21

The biopsy had turned out negative for cancer. Which was a great relief.

But since May and today, I have had bouts of pelvic pain which I explained away as prostatitis symptons.

Now I have an onset of pelvis pain again and have decided to have another MRI taken.

The reason being that biopsies are not perfect....there is a failure rate of 30% in them.

My PSA is 1.3 still low, chances of having prostate cancer with low PSA is 15%. Chances of having a cancer with a negative biopsy is statistically 30%. So the possibility of having a prostate cancer is now 15% x 30% equals 5%?

User

Posted 27 Dec 2018 at 09:33

Did you have a TRUS rectal biopsy previously?

If so, request a targeted transperineal biopsy on this occasion under a general anaesthetic (if appropriate for your medical condition) as that is far more accurate and may shed more light on your situation.

Cheers, John.

User

Posted 27 Dec 2018 at 11:06

Dear Bollinge,

Thanks for your feedback. I believe I had TRUS under general unaesthetic. They took 16 cores (some as long as 20mm) and 5 from the suspected left base. My prostate felt splintered for a month!

I am not sure that targeted transpereneal biopsy is performed in Malta. I will have to check.

In any case would you recommend a good private hospital in the UK where I can have this done?

Thanks

Godwin

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