Meeting with urologist

User

Posted 03 Feb 2018 at 18:12

Hello there,

I posted a while ago. My father has suspected PC after sudden retention/infection and a PSA of 108.

He had a bone scan and the consultant called to say it was clear. He booked my father in for a TURP operation and said he needed an MRI of the prostate too.

His MRI was last Saturday and he has just got a letter to ask him to go and see the consultant on Wednesday (his surgery is booked the following Wednesday).

Is a meeting usual prior to surgery or could it be that something found in the MRI needs to be discussed?

It was just an MRI of his prostate and at this point we have only been told PC is ‘likely’.

I am so worried.

Thanks

Kirsty x

User

Posted 04 Feb 2018 at 09:02

Hello Kirsty,

Just bumping you as I wouldn't want your post from yesterday to get missed.

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 04 Feb 2018 at 11:03

Hi Kirsty - PSA numbers and MRI scans are a good indicator of PC but they are not definitive. The only way of knowing for sure and of finding out the aggressiveness is a biopsy. Since you dont mention a biopsy I would imagine that they will use the TURP surgery as an opportunity to do a biopsy. Maybe this is what the consultant wants to discuss.
Tony

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User

Posted 04 Feb 2018 at 09:02

Hello Kirsty,

Just bumping you as I wouldn't want your post from yesterday to get missed.

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 04 Feb 2018 at 11:03

User

Posted 04 Feb 2018 at 18:39

Thanks Tony, yes the consultant had told my Dad that they will do a biopsy when they do the TURP. Would the MRI have shown if the PC had spread outside the prostate? Or again is that what the biopsy shows? Sorry for all the questions, it’s all just been so sudden. He also has developed very swollen legs. It’s so strange.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, it’s appreciated.

User

Posted 04 Feb 2018 at 18:40

Thank you so much, I appreciate it. I find this website really helpful. X

User

Posted 04 Feb 2018 at 23:37

Biopsy just shows what is found within the Prostate. MRI can additionally show suspicious parts beyond Prostate, although MRI does not always reveal equivocal areas even within the Prostate.

Barry

User

Posted 06 Feb 2018 at 16:20

In my case the MRI came back completely clear in and around the prostate and a biopsy afterwards showed 6 out of 10 cores positive - so MRI is not definitive. The MRI is usually used to guide the biopsy - if a particular area looks suspicious on the MRI they tend to concentrate the biopsy around that area. However if MRI shows suspicious areas outside the prostate and biopsy comes back positive it might effect your treatment options.

The swollen legs should be mentioned to your consultant as this might indicate some problem with the lymph glands (not necessarily cancer). Lymph glands are routinely checked when having a prostatectomy so they may be planning to biopsy a lymph gland or two when they do the TURP. We have loads of lymph glands in and around that area.

The main thing I would say is try not to worry or expect the worst - difficult I know. Wait until the results of the biopsy come in and take it from there. Even if there is an element of cancer in the prostate different people have varying experiences with treatment. Some people have complications or a bad experience with the side effects but some like myself find their journey with PC treatment has been good - I completed treatment a month ago (hormones and radiotherapy).

Good luck.

Tony

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