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DRE outcome

User
Posted 15 May 2023 at 11:22

Good morning,

I have been referred to a Urologist who carried out a PSA and DRE.  The outcome was borderline PSA, but that my prostate was described as hard, flat and irregular.  I have been sent for an MRI now.  Concerned with my findings on Google regarding the DRE.  Advice please.

User
Posted 15 May 2023 at 12:00

At the moment there is not much information to go on. PSA being only slightly above normal suggests either you don't have cancer, or it is at early stages. DRE results are quite highly suggesting you do have cancer.

You can't do anything until you have biopsy results. If it comes back as positive then there will usually be many treatment options. I can say with 98% certainty that you will still be alive in 5 years, and if you aren't alive then, it will be more likely to be a car crash or heart disease, than cancer that killed you.

Ofcourse you want to live beyond five years, and your chances of that will depend on many things of which prostate cancer may be significant.

I was diagnosed at 53 treated. Five years later all is well. My cancer was much more aggressive than the average prostate cancer, and has about a 50% chance of returning in the next 15 years, but I will cross that bridge if I get to it.

You finished your post with "Advice please?"

My advice is, do not worry about what might or might not happen, because worrying won't change the outcome. Go for all the tests so the doctors can get the full picture, they can then explain it to you, and people on this forum can clarify what some of that explanation means if needed. I'm not going to give you anymore advice than that because until you have a diagnosis it is all speculation.

Dave

User
Posted 15 May 2023 at 21:19
Good advice , I wouldn’t bother with google it’s just too much info and 99% of it will not concern you and will muddy the waters big time . Just stay on the NHS site and prostrate U.K. site . As mentioned just go with the flow, tests etc and wait for the results
User
Posted 03 Jun 2023 at 21:51
Yes, entirely normal.

User
Posted 06 Jun 2023 at 12:22
There are protocols that hospital staff have to follow. Usually, the PIRADS score would be advised to you by the consultant or specialist urology nurse - they can't just give it out over the phone. As your DRE found a hard & irregular prostate, there is a very good chance that your PIRADS score was 4 or 5 - that is too significant for an unqualified administrator to give a patient in a phone call. Sometimes, a patient will be told their MRI results and their biopsy result at the same time. You could put in a subject access request but the NHS Trust has a full month to respond so it is probably quicker to ask at the biopsy appointment. You could also ask your GP practice whether the urology dept has written to the GP with the PIRADS report.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

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User
Posted 15 May 2023 at 12:00

At the moment there is not much information to go on. PSA being only slightly above normal suggests either you don't have cancer, or it is at early stages. DRE results are quite highly suggesting you do have cancer.

You can't do anything until you have biopsy results. If it comes back as positive then there will usually be many treatment options. I can say with 98% certainty that you will still be alive in 5 years, and if you aren't alive then, it will be more likely to be a car crash or heart disease, than cancer that killed you.

Ofcourse you want to live beyond five years, and your chances of that will depend on many things of which prostate cancer may be significant.

I was diagnosed at 53 treated. Five years later all is well. My cancer was much more aggressive than the average prostate cancer, and has about a 50% chance of returning in the next 15 years, but I will cross that bridge if I get to it.

You finished your post with "Advice please?"

My advice is, do not worry about what might or might not happen, because worrying won't change the outcome. Go for all the tests so the doctors can get the full picture, they can then explain it to you, and people on this forum can clarify what some of that explanation means if needed. I'm not going to give you anymore advice than that because until you have a diagnosis it is all speculation.

Dave

User
Posted 15 May 2023 at 21:19
Good advice , I wouldn’t bother with google it’s just too much info and 99% of it will not concern you and will muddy the waters big time . Just stay on the NHS site and prostrate U.K. site . As mentioned just go with the flow, tests etc and wait for the results
User
Posted 03 Jun 2023 at 13:46

MRI has resulted in being called back for biopsy which they have said will be between 24-28 cores. Is this usual?

User
Posted 03 Jun 2023 at 21:51
Yes, entirely normal.

User
Posted 06 Jun 2023 at 07:25

On telephoning the Urology department they will not disclose my PIRADS score and said I can ask on the day of the biopsy. Disappointed they are withholding my data. How can I find out?

User
Posted 06 Jun 2023 at 12:22
There are protocols that hospital staff have to follow. Usually, the PIRADS score would be advised to you by the consultant or specialist urology nurse - they can't just give it out over the phone. As your DRE found a hard & irregular prostate, there is a very good chance that your PIRADS score was 4 or 5 - that is too significant for an unqualified administrator to give a patient in a phone call. Sometimes, a patient will be told their MRI results and their biopsy result at the same time. You could put in a subject access request but the NHS Trust has a full month to respond so it is probably quicker to ask at the biopsy appointment. You could also ask your GP practice whether the urology dept has written to the GP with the PIRADS report.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 09 Jun 2023 at 14:21

Finally got my PIRADS score from my MRI and graded as 4. 1 area of concern in the apex of prostate. Biopsy on 14 June and results approximately 3 weeks after that.

 
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