Notification

Error

Now i am scared

User
Posted 18 Jul 2026 at 16:00

Gleason 9

Cambridge 5

Aggressive. T3

But my PSA was only 8 which triggered the investigation and diagnosis. I really can't understand why the cancer is so serious with that PSA level.

Had 2 weeks on Balcutimede. First Prostap injection last week. Had MRI and CT and nuclear bone scan. Waiting for full diagnosis. 

Terrified  quite frankly.

Initial diagnosis came 6 weeks to the day of me turning 80........

 

User
Posted 18 Jul 2026 at 20:55

Look at my Bio. I"d take 80 all day long!

I am sure you will outlive a fair few on here.

Be grateful for the years you have had.

User
Posted 18 Jul 2026 at 21:52

Hi, Linkbekka.

I'm sorry that you are feeling terrified by your diagnosis, I suspect most of us, have been afraid whilst dealing with PCa. 

When I was 65 years old, I ended up being diagnosed, like you, with Gleason 9 (4+5) T3a, meaning the  cancer had probably broken out from the prostate. Like you my PSA was low, only 7. 

PSA is only an indicator of how likely you are to have prostate cancer. You can have very high PSA and no cancer, because high levels can be caused by non cancerous conditions. You can have a very low PSA but have high grade cancer, because some rarer types of prostate cancer cells cause very little PSA. 

At 80 years old, dependent on your general health, it might be deemed too risky to consider radical treatments such as radiotherapy or surgery. Instead hormone treatment can be used to suppress the cancer.

This happened to my dad, he was diagnosed at 78 years old, he was deemed too frail for any radical treatment and his cancer was treated purely with hormone injections. He lived for almost a further decade and his quality of life was not drastically affected.

I hope that your scan results are favourable and show no spread. I hope that a treatment plan is made for you, and that you live for many more years.

No matter how old you are, a prostate cancer diagnosis is frightening. Unfortunately, about 80% of men over eighty years old will have prostate cancer cells. About 20% of them will be clinically significant and may need treatment. 

Please keep us updated with your results and what treatment is decided upon.

Good luck, mate.👍

Edited by member 19 Jul 2026 at 08:09  | Reason: Adjust text

User
Posted 18 Jul 2026 at 23:21

There are quite a number of different PCa types of cancer that show high or low PSA figures, so you can't rely on PSA, particularly at diagnosis to determine severity or even if a man has cancer, unless the figure is very high.  It is generally more useful as a way of monitoring progression before and after treatment.

The most important aspect is the staging, as if the cancer is contained within the Prostate, there are more ways of treating and obliterating it.  Having said that, a lower Gleason score means it is easier than a higher one to deal with.

There are many ways Prostate Cancer can differ between men, so treatment needs to be appropriate for the individual, although there maybe several options in some cases, more where the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage.

Barry
 
Forum Jump  
©2026 Prostate Cancer UK