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psa over 100

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User
Posted 23 Jul 2018 at 17:05

Dear all


my dad recently underwent a recital examination for his bowel and it was noted that his prostrate was very enlarged. He was sent for a PSA test and it came back 107 which o know is extremely high. He has had no symptoms and  is a professional dancer with lots of energy he is 69. He had had a Dre and it was confirmed it felt hard with nodules. He had a biodpy today and a bone scan tomorrow. My question is o am certain it’s cancer but ya it advanced with the spa being so high. I M aware it normally spreads to bonds would he not have felt any aches and pains of this is the case. Reading so many things and looking at prognosis it doesn’t look greT. Need to know as many facts as possible and normal treatment plan as will be going with Mum for and Dad for consultation appointment following week. cam Dad survivemany years if it is advanced? Any advice greTfully appreciated .

User
Posted 23 Jul 2018 at 17:48
Chesca, it is not true to say that it normally spreads to the bones. Your father may have PCa but you have not yet had a diagnosis of that. When you know that it is PCa and have the Gleason score, following a biopsy and know about any spread following a scan you will be in a position to make judgements such as you seek. Until then you must be patient and not fear the worst when you do not have the facts.

As regards survival, your father's oncologist has no more idea than me. With advanced metastatic PCa, I have however, lasted eleven years and have some way to go. Others have not been so lucky.

Good Luck

AC
User
Posted 23 Jul 2018 at 19:30

Hi Ac


Thank you for your reply. I have been reading so much my head is physically hurting! I know you are right about waiting for the results before reading too much, but it is very hard! 


one of my big questions which I can’t seem to find an answer too is does a high PSA normally mean the cancer is advanced? He has no inflammation.


Thanks

User
Posted 23 Jul 2018 at 21:39
No it doesn’t necessarily follow. All the PSA indicates is that there is a problem that needs checking out. You can have a PSA of 3 and have bone mets or soft tissue mets. You can have a PSA of 80 and a very large benign prostate. A PSA of 100 is highly indicative of cancer but not of whether it has spread - what is more concerning in your dad’s case is that the prostate felt lumpy and hard. Best to wait for all the test results and then go from there.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 24 Jul 2018 at 18:13

Many thanks for your advice. My dad has been for his bone scan today and afterwards asked the radiologist whether they saw any hotspots but she said she couldn’t answer. Is this common procedure  or should my dad have had the right to find out?


many thanks

User
Posted 24 Jul 2018 at 20:44
Chesca, the person who carried out the scan would almost certainly have been a radiographer, not a radiologist. A radiographer is basically a technician who operates the scanning equipment. The results are then sent to a radiologist (who is a doctor) to be interpreted. Waiting is the hardest part of diagnosis, but unfortunately it can't be avoided.

Chris
User
Posted 24 Jul 2018 at 22:06
As Chris says, radiographers are not trained or qualified to interpret scans or diagnose conditions.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
User
Posted 25 Jul 2018 at 14:41

Thanks both for clarifying. I will let my parents know. 

User
Posted 03 Aug 2018 at 20:35

Dad has now been diagnosed with T3a bone scan and Ct scan are clear. Gleason score is 8. We are so relieved the bone scan is clear and are eager to start treatment. Dad has been advised to start hormone treatment and a month of radiotherapy. Can anyone inform me of the side effects of these treatments and whether Dad will feel wiped out with radiotherapy. Thanks.

User
Posted 04 Aug 2018 at 21:06
I had my prostate removed and had indications the cancer had spread.

I had 37 sessions of radiotherapy.

As these treatments went on, it became more & more difficult to maintain a full bladder for the
time required in the machine.I peed myself a couple of times.

Bowels......As the treatment started, I was using suppositories to ensure I had an empty bowel before treatment.
After about 5 days worth of treatment, I seemed to have to go to the toilet very regularly.
My stools became soft and comically thin, about the diameter of a finger.
Some people have occasional bleeding.
I did and continue to have the occasional bleed a year after the radiotherapy ended.
My stools decided to firm up after about 3 months and going to the toilet became painful and I dreaded going.

Keep hydrated. It is very important.
Keep hydrated. It is very important.
Keep hydrated. It is very important.

I was slightly tired, but not exhausted.

Another slight problem I had was dry cracked skin just behind my anus.
I don't know if that was caused by a sunburn effect of the radiotherapy but I've never experienced it before.
Moisturiser helped a lot.

My advice is......try to deal with any problems the second they appear.

My main problem after radiotherapy was changes in my bowel.

Good luck with the treatment. Keep an eye on things.

Ian.

 
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