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User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 03:51

I've read a lot of posts here. Unfortunately, things aren't much better in the US.    This has been going on all summer. Back in late April one specialist told me that my PSA numbers were trending upward. I went to my urologist who told me that my numbers weren't that high for my age (63)  He did detect a mass when he performed a DRE and subsequently ordered an MRI.  The MRI showed a PIRADS-IV mass.  I'm in a part of the country with the best hospitals, so I contacted a cancer center affiliated with the hospital that I usually go to. I met with a specialist there around mid May.  She ordered a CT-SCAN which showed potential lymph node involvement. She then ordered a PET-SCAN in early June which showed no cancer in the bones, some in the prostate and possibly a small amount in lymph nodes. I had to wait until last week (August 7th) to get a biopsy done. My urologist is away the last two weeks of August, so I will see his physician's assistant this coming Monday.  However, I have seen no results in the patient portal. I'm getting anxious and finding it hard to focus on work.  I would like to know one way or the other. I teach at a university so I would like to know whether I can start work in the fall or have to plan to be out for part of the semester on medical leave. Does anyone have any idea of how long biopsy results should take?


John

User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 11:47

Thanks for the reply Steve Your information about time off from work was helpful. My biggest issue with working and radiotherapy is logistics.  My house is 1/2 way between my university and the major hospitals. I used to work in the city but now work at a university in a small town in Vermont. To get to Boston from home takes about 1.5 hours Fron work it is almost 3 hours. 
Anyway, time will tell on this. 

User
Posted 26 Oct 2024 at 06:31

Thanks. I am finally getting a treatment plan together. A complication is that I have two hernias from prior surgeries, so those would need to be fixed after the prostate surgery.  I'm waiting to get a second surgical opinion and then I will make a decision.

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User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 09:03

Hi John.


I'm sorry that you've had to find us, but welcome to the forum.


It is normal to feel extremely anxious, especially during the initial diagnosis process. Waiting for results is one of the worst parts.


In the UK, it's usually 2 or 3 weeks for biopsy results, but that maybe different in America.


Time off work will be dictated by your treatment plan.


Please keep us updated. You'll get a lot of support here.


Best of luck pal.


 

User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 10:50
Everyone will tell you that the anticipation is the hardest part of PCa - we always assume the worst and when we find out what exactly we are dealing with then we can start planning - but being 'in limbo' is tough!

Obviously you have prostate cancer - the lymph node involvement isn't ideal but they remove several lymph nodes during the surgery anyway. If, that is, surgery is an available option.

The alternative would be an immediate start of hormone therapy and radiotherapy sessions. If that is the recommended treatment then it should not impact you too much on your work as you can normally schedule your RT treatments to fit in with your work schedule.
If surgery is offered then it will typically be 2-3 months of medical leave post surgery - how quickly that will happen depends on your chosen hospital but my experience in CA/NV/AZ is that it can be pretty quick when the holiday season is out of the way.

Wishing you all the best!
User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 11:43

Thanks for your reply. I will post updates. 

User
Posted 15 Aug 2024 at 11:47

Thanks for the reply Steve Your information about time off from work was helpful. My biggest issue with working and radiotherapy is logistics.  My house is 1/2 way between my university and the major hospitals. I used to work in the city but now work at a university in a small town in Vermont. To get to Boston from home takes about 1.5 hours Fron work it is almost 3 hours. 
Anyway, time will tell on this. 

User
Posted 04 Sep 2024 at 06:04

I finally did get the biopsy results.  They can't grade all of the cores that had cancer (2 out of 12) because of some atrophy in the tissue. I am going in today to see a medical oncologist. Hopefully, a treatment plan will be put together.

User
Posted 04 Sep 2024 at 07:51

Good luck John, I hope you get a treatment plan in place soon.


Derek

User
Posted 26 Oct 2024 at 06:31

Thanks. I am finally getting a treatment plan together. A complication is that I have two hernias from prior surgeries, so those would need to be fixed after the prostate surgery.  I'm waiting to get a second surgical opinion and then I will make a decision.

 
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