What is happening?

brendalee68

I am a woman and obviously do not have prostate cancer but my good friend does. He saw his regular doctor who did labs found his PSA to be in the 300's. He ordered more tests. Ct, mri,labs and pet scan. Next visit was a referral to an oncologist because the scan showed prostate cancer with metastasis to spine, skull, pelvis, hips, femur, ribs,.The onchologist did not sit down , he just gave a referral for a urologist to do a biopsy. He offered no treatment plan, no explanation or meds for the excruciating pain my friend has. Its now over one month. My friend is disappearing before my eyes. Is this normal protocol or what? What is happening? Can anyone please help?

Clevelandguy

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your friend. The Urologist will do a biopsy to grade his cancer to it aggressiveness with a 3 being not too aggressive to a 5 which is quite aggressive. According to what you said the cancer has already left the Prostate capsule and spread to other parts of his body, not a good thing. I would imagine(I am not a doctor) that they will start putting him on testosterone lowering drugs and maybe some kind of chemo or possibly radiation. That is something he will discuss with his Urologist and Oncologist as his team puts together his treatment plan. As you learn more after the meetings post again as we have many knowledgeable people with a lot of personal experience that might be able to help.

Dave 3+4

Old Salt

I don't know what is 'normal', but immediate action is required considering the seriousness of your friend's prostate cancer.

Find a competent medical oncologist with knowledge of prostate cancer. Alternatively, if there's a major medical center with expertise in prostate cancer, have him RUN over there.

At the very minimum, androgen deprivation ('hormone') therapy should be started ASAP.

The biopsy won't reveal all that much that isn't obvious right now. No doubt the cancer has left the prostate and has metastasized to a major extent.

My best wishes!

rsgdmd

I don't think they will start treatment without biopsy results. In my case, I made appointment with oncologist right after getting bone scan results (which showed mets). They called the next day because there were no biopsy results. I happened to be on way home from biopsy & could reassure them that the results would be there by the time of my appointment. If not, I think they would have pushed it back.

centralPA

It has been a month since he has seen his oncologist? Did he get the biopsy?

brendalee68

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697727#Comment_1697727

Cleveland guy,

You have no idea how much your post is appreciated. My friend started to cry because finally he got information he needed from you. Thank you so much

Brenda

brendalee68

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697764#Comment_1697764

Old Salt

Your post meant the world to me and my friend. He is so happy there are men who will come and help him understand.

Brenda

brendalee68

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697769#Comment_1697769

Rsg,

Thank you for your response. My friend is doing a biopsy today...finaly!

brendalee68

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1697784#Comment_1697784

Central pa

Today he's getting a biopsy more than a month later.

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Your friend's primary care doctor did precisely the correct thing in referring him immediately to a urologist. The family doctor has (very likely) no Board certification to treat a case like your friend's, which without any reasonable doubt is advanced and severe, needing rapid expert response. As has been mentioned above, your friends treatment will certainly consist mostly of Hormonal Therapy (HT), although chemo is also quite possible. At his stage of advanced involvement, surgery or radiation are highly unlikely. His treatments will be toward palliative effect, meaning they are to slow down the disease and increase quality of life.