96 years old 22years since diagnosis

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User

Posted 20 May 2019 at 11:06

Hi my father is 96 and went into his gp surgery last Friday having had a scan two days earlier. Hé saw a gp he had never seen before who told him that the lumps on his back and groin were secondaries from the prostate cancer he was treated for 22 years earlier. She didn't want to say anything more than that, wasn't prepared to say anything about timescales and just said she would write to oncology. No other referral and said if the pain gets worse to go to a&e and get morphine. I am going to call the surgery this morning to confirm my notes. I have called prostrate care UK for advice but they are busy. My sister is going to talk to talk to Macmillan on Wednesday. Can anyone suggest anything else we could do ?

Thanks

User

Posted 20 May 2019 at 12:06

Why did the GP think is was prostate cancer, and not, for example, some other cancer?

Has he been having periodic PSA tests (probably every 1-2 years)?
If so, what were the readings?
If not, get one done now - GP nurse should be able to do it.

I don't know if GP referral for reoccurrence is subject to same 2 week limit as for initial diagnosis, but you should push for that. That may be what GP meant by writing to oncology, but you might want to confirm.

User

Posted 20 May 2019 at 12:10

Thanks that's useful. Gp surgery is hopeless giving a locum the task of telling someone who has been with the surgery a terminal diagnosis. She didn't offer anything else apart from writing to oncology. Dad v angry.

User

Posted 20 May 2019 at 12:36

Agree totally re. Andy. PSA results / trends ? Has Dad seen GP recently without your knowledge ?

Who organised the scan on Wed ? What exactly was scanned and who has seen the results ?

Do you or sister have consent from Dad to talk with his GP directly . ?

Hope it's soon resolved. All the best..

User

Posted 20 May 2019 at 13:11

Oh, I missed the bit about the scan.

However, based on what you've said here, I think you should raise a complaint with the GP practice manager.

Edited by member 20 May 2019 at 13:12 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 20 May 2019 at 22:17

Ask whether a PSA test has been done. If so, the reading may have been very high and that is what is telling them that these are prostate cancer mets.

I am not sure what the complaint would be for - he has had scans, the doctor has given him the results and has referred him to the cancer specialists who will presumably discuss with him whether he wants to try hormone therapy. They may also refer him to the local hospice or to a pain clinic to try and get the pain meds balanced as much as possible.

The advice to contact emergency services if the pain gets bad is probably sound - I am not sure that a GP can prescribe morphine except as part of a pathway. What pain relief does he have access to currently? Is he taking the correct doses at the right intervals? It is important to keep the pain relief topped up to prevent breakthrough pain.

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

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