Partners journey so far

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 08:21

My partner in his early 50's had a routine blood test that came back with a PSA of 5. No symptoms.

On the NHS two week pathway he had an MRI. The MRI came has a three as there were no significant findings. They just said the prostate was small but it was marked as 3 on the scale.

Yesterday he had over 20 samples taken via a biopsy.

It's all happened very quickly, so a bit of a whirlwind.

At the biopsy they did say the scan showed darker around the edges.

My partner feels they were telling him it is cancer.

I just wondered what happens next and the usual time frames.

Thank you.

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 08:59

Not a lot you can do but wait for the results. If you have specific queries about scan / biopsy results speak to your hospital or call the nurses on this site for clarification.

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 09:27

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Not a lot you can do but wait for the results. If you have specific queries about scan / biopsy results speak to your hospital or call the nurses on this site for clarification.

Thank you. I understand that, I guess I am trying to understand it, my partner doesn't really want to talk about it, which I completely respect.

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 10:20

Just to give you an indication of timescales I had my biopsy on 6th October and had my results on 24th October,the time waiting is very difficult, we all tend to try and be positive,but it is not always easy.I hope that your partner has a positive result.

John

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 10:54

Your thoughts must be 1, is it cancer, and 2 , if so will it progress quickly if nothing is done immediately? Until the biopsies have been analysed and considered with his scans you will not know whether he has PCa. However, if he has got it, it is highly unlikely to develop significantly further before he can be treated, PCa being a very slow-to-develop disease.

Barry

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 18:14

52 with psa of 4.9 / 5

Mri was 2/3 no worries , density 0.15.

18 biopsy taken

Gleason 6 3+4 Present, Consultant recommended AS.

Requested actual biopsy results from Consultant. Results were 42% cancerous.

Spread over 4 of 6 areas, 5th high grade PIN.

Can't handle AS worrying about those esults so went back in, Consultant says he is confident we can do AS and catch it.

However is happy to start treatment given my age and the fact he reckons I will need treatment at something.

Went on to say as long as I was happy to deal with the side effects now, I should have a better outcome long term given age, health and the cancer sizes.

He reckons ralp nerve sparing surgery given the results he is getting in his surgery.

Requires me to see the radiation team before making an informed decision.

My advice, get as much information from Tham as you can. Question anything that concerns you. Chat gpt works well with comparing results against NICE guidelines etc. Remember not to rely on it though.

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 18:19

Thank you for the replies.

My partner received an NhS text message saying they would call on the 7th August to discuss the results.

Is that the usual process? Would they not do that face to face?

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 20:13

My biopsy review was face to face but it was to confirm cancer so that news was not entirely unexpected.

Logic says to me that positive for cancer demands a face to face consultation but negative can be handled indirectly.

Just my take on it of course and not a guarantee of any particular outcome.

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 20:37

Thank you. I would assume it was face to face for that news and to discuss a plan. It seems very quick that this phone appointment came through considering the biopsy was only performed yesterday.

I read on here someone saw their result on the NHS app before they had been informed of anything in person. That is a terrible way, I hope that was a one off glitch.

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 21:22

Unfortunately different hospitals do things in very different ways.

My experience is not good as communication is very poor from our local hospital.

I simply got a secretary telling me they didn't have time to spend telling me my biopsy results because they had people who really did have cancer to look after. Way to make someone feel they were wasting your time.

The consultant letter was not much better, just saying if I had any concerns I should ask for another test, but not for 12 months.

The caring NHS we see on the lovely adverts is pretty much a myth as far as PCa goes. But there are plenty of people who have bad experiences with others cancers too.

User

Posted 30 Jul 2025 at 21:41

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Unfortunately different hospitals do things in very different ways.

My experience is not good as communication is very poor from our local hospital.

The consultant letter was not much better, just saying if I had any concerns I should ask for another test, but not for 12 months.

The caring NHS we see on the lovely adverts is pretty much a myth as far as PCa goes. But there are plenty of people who have bad experiences with others cancers too.

I'm sorry to hear that and as you say everyone's experience is different.

I think so far my partner has been extremely well treated.

But this is not my first time on this forum as many moons ago I went through PC with my father (I still see a few names from back then).

His experience was very different. In actual fact it was this forum that highlighted my father had not even seen an oncologist a few years in. They lost all his scans and it was mess with terrible communication.

But I hope things have changed since then and so far that seems the case.

But I would hate to think they would deliver serious news over the phone. Because there will be so many questions.

User

Posted 31 Jul 2025 at 00:56

As regards results, a patient's name will go on a list to be discussed by a Multi Disciplinerary Team (MDT). Depending how many cases are waiting review will determine when patient will be notified .

Barry

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