Don't panic. You are at the very worst point in this process, because you have no information so you think the worst. BTW I am an optimist so I was thinking positive all the way, I still got diagnosed with cancer, but it wasn't too bad in the end.
So doctor must have some suspicion you have cancer. Did you have a PSA test? Did you have a digital rectal exam (DRE, finger up the bum)?
The letter you have is almost certainly a referral letter, it is addressed to a consultant, and you have been copied in to it. It has to say Suspected Cancer at the top, because without that it goes to the bottom of the pile and you won't be seen for about a year.
It will almost certainly say what your PSA is, or the result of the DRE, or some other reason for the suspicion.
At the moment you do not have cancer because you haven't been diagnosed. 98% of people who are diagnosed will still be alive in five years time. And of those 2% who do die, half of them die because of road traffic accident and heart disease, nothing to do with cancer.
I don't know the statistics for cancer confirmed after referral it is probably about 1 in 3.
The main risk for prostate cancer is being born a male (doesn't matter what you identify as, it's having a prostate that is the problem). The second risk is being over 60, you have a high chance of having cancer, and by the age of 80 it is almost certain that a man has cancer.
If you have prostate cancer it often does not need treatment, but being human once we know we have it, we start on the treatment treadmill, because it is impossible to know which cancers are harmless and which aren't.
At the moment don't tell your mom, she will worry pointlessly. I am assuming your kids are adults, if they are going to notice you have hospital appointments you may as well tell them you are having tests for cancer. Do point out it is a very slow disease and very treatable.
When I was having tests I only told close family and very close friends, I hate people showing me sympathy. Once I had a full diagnosis I let everyone know, the more awareness about this disease the better. I also told people, I don't need sympathy: I need beer.
I don't regret telling my 89 year old mom, when I was having tests, but in hindsight, she didn't need to know until I had the results. If you have the disease and need treatment, it isn't worth trying to hide this from your family they would be more worried by your suspicious activity, than they should be by the disease itself.
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User
I would agree with all Dave has said. If you are diagnosed with PCa, there are a number of treatments that can slow if not always
eradicate cancer. In some cases it may not even be necessary to treat it, at least for a time and in such a case you will just be monitored which is called Active Surveillance, assuming there is some cancer found.
Suggest you get back to us after you have had the all the tests/scans and post what is said and any recommendations Consultants make. We will then like you, be in a better position to know where you are and comment more appropriately. We are not able to tell you what you should do but can sometimes mention things that are not always well covered and which you might like further investigated.
Barry |
User
What will (or should) happen next is an MRI scan followed by a prostate biopsy (the anticipation of which is far worse than the event!); the only way ultimately to know whether not you have prostate cancer and, if you do, how aggressive it is, is to look at cells under a microscope. If the biopsy shows cancer you'll then have some form of bone scan to make sure it hasn't spread (don't stress about this - it's purely routine) and then, and only then, will you know where you stand. The whole process generally takes a couple of months - all you can do is wait for it to happen.
Try not to get too stressed about it. Localised prostate cancer is an eminently treatable condition; you get it sorted and then you get on with your life.
Best wishes,
Chris