Advice needed
Comments
-
Thank you for the words of encouragement, Wheel and CentalPA.
Yes, we are happy with the decision to use the teaching hospital. We are worried but trying to take your advice and work through the process.
Thank you guys so much for answering all of my questions.
I’ll update everyone when we receive the results.
0 -
fantastic..step,1 mri go,from there.. worst case scenario and it does happen to be cancer. You caught it extremely early and that’s a very very very very good thing. Your husband has a good doctor when he turned 50 they probably started checking for PSA just think if they didn’t bother to check like with me, I caught it early. but it’s very very early in the game. keep us posted
0 -
First of all don't panic. I'm 64 Mine went from 2.85 to 5.89 in a year and a half I was shocked. I do have an enlarged prostate. My urination is not bad at all. I had the biopsy, 12 cores taken and all was benign. Next few months i am going for more blood work if nothing has changed then an MRI. Not sure what an MRI will see if my biopsy was neg. I Don't have frequent urination at night I get up only once per night. Don't need flowmax. Hope your outcome will be the same
2 -
PSA is a measure of prostate tissue, not specifically cancerous tissue. The number is less significant than the change over time. Mine was 4.2 which I thought was low - just above the normal range for my age, and I did have BPH. Yes, it was cancer. Nevertheless, thats low enough that it helps determine that it's unlikely to have spread.
0 -
I agree that the change in PSA over time is more important than the actual PSA reading itself. However, I do not necessarily agree that a relatively low PSA number (4.2 in this discussion) is "low enough that it helps determine that it's unlikely to have spread". Over a 5 year period, my PSA increased from 3.2 to 5.3, and when I ultimately had my biopsy after the 5.3 reading, my prostate was almost fully engulfed in 4+3 PCa. Over the next 13 years with surgery, two rounds of radiation, and two rounds of hormone therapies, my PCa still has metastasized.
Aggressive PCa can have a lower PSA reading, compared to less aggressive PCa, so we shouldn't automatically be complacent because the PSA reading is low or aligning favorably with generic PSA/age charts. If you are concerned about your PSA reading, IMO, you should demand a biopsy, so that you know specifically what you are (or are not) dealing with.
2 -
In my case I was 3.8 in 12/2022. I was 4.4 in 6/2024. After the 4.4 I went for an MRI, I was PI RADS 5. The biopsy in September was a Gleason score of 7=4+3. There was no metastasis. The edges were clean after surgery. A low score does not mean that the cancer is not aggressive.
0 -
I’m glad your husband is moved Fwrd with biopsy and being proactive. My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 Mets prostate cancer 3 yrs ago, hormone suppressant zitiga, his psa has stayed low he is tolerating treatment meds still working. We also shocked to here dr wanted to do a monitoring treatment my husband insisted on a biopsy if he had not he would not be here. I will tell you thus the treatments has advanced considerably, I hope your situation isn’t too dire and his can be treated in a less aggressive manner. The side effects from treatment can be brutal but fight the fight get second opinions on treatment. And pls take care of yourself ! It can get rocky in a relationship your husband will go thru many emotions and it will not be easy for you ….. take care of yourself
1 -
Just wanted to let all of you know that my husband got his MRI results today. He has a pirad of 5 in one side and pirad of 3 in the other side. They are scheduling a biopsy. Is this a Gleason score or is that different?
0 -
The Gleason score will be assigned by the pathologist reviewing the cores from the biopsy after the biopsy if cancer is identified. I am sure the biopsy will be a MRI fusion guided to get extra specific cores from the lesions and then a grid random over the remaining prostate. The PIRADS 4 and 5 lesions are considered clinically significant disease that is likely for cancer but the lesions could still turn out not necessarily cancerous. My PIRADS 4 turned out to be benign but the other cores identified my cancer. The MRI also hold additional important information on size, volume and density of the prostate that are important to know as well as where in the prostate the lesions are .located
0 -
Different. As Wheel already pointed out the Gleason score is assigned by the pathologist who examines the cores taken during the biopsy. The PIRADS score is assigned by the MRI specialist. A higher score (like 5) increases the LIKELIHOOD that that site is cancerous. It does give the urologist who will do the biopsy a lead as to where he/she should sample.
1 -
Thank you for the information. We don’t have a copy of the MRI yet to know the other data on the prostate. We are currently waiting for the biopsy appointment.
0 -
Thank you for the response. I’ll report back after the biopsy.
0 -
We now have the biopsy results and more information from the MRI.
The prostate is 32mm in volume and the density is .14 ng-last PSA was 4.57. (Age 52)
The MRI shows cancer in two spots. If I’m reading this correctly, surprisingly not in the two lesions of concern on the MRI.
1st spot is RM - less than 1mm involving less than 5% of tissue 3+3=6 grade 1 group 12nd spot is RLA - less than 3mm involving less than 15% of tissue 3+3=6 grade 1 group 1
We have a teleheath with the nurse practitioner on 3/6 and will meet with the doctor shortly after that to discuss treatment options.
Do you guys think the is an active surveillance situation?
0 -
Definitely I would be considering it. There are views within the medical profession that Gleason 6’s are not considered cancerous yet. I would see if you could get genomic testing of the biopsy such as Decipher that could confirm whether it’s considered non advanced and low risk.
0 -
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll ask this question. We are hoping it will be active surveillance.
0 -
As it stands, AS is absolutely an option. At a minimum, you are not in any rush to act.
Two easy things to do, first get a genome test on the biopsy sample. It helps shape the odds on future progression. Second, get a second opinion on the biopsy. Your hospital can have the slides sent and reviewed. It will give you a warm and fuzzy if the second opinion matches the first.
Lots of research out there on AS. Now is the time to get reading and become an expert. At his age, a young 52, he will likely need to treat at some point I’d guess, but it could be years of side effect-free life. Who knows what treatment they may come with in the interim.
You do have to able to get up each morning and think, “l have cancer” and cope with that. A little bit of a highwire act.
1
Discussion Boards
- All Discussion Boards
- 6 CSN Information
- 6 Welcome to CSN
- 122.2K Cancer specific
- 2.8K Anal Cancer
- 450 Bladder Cancer
- 309 Bone Cancers
- 1.6K Brain Cancer
- 28.5K Breast Cancer
- 399 Childhood Cancers
- 27.9K Colorectal Cancer
- 4.6K Esophageal Cancer
- 1.2K Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine)
- 13K Head and Neck Cancer
- 6.4K Kidney Cancer
- 677 Leukemia
- 797 Liver Cancer
- 4.2K Lung Cancer
- 5.1K Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin)
- 240 Multiple Myeloma
- 7.2K Ovarian Cancer
- 65 Pancreatic Cancer
- 492 Peritoneal Cancer
- 5.6K Prostate Cancer
- 1.2K Rare and Other Cancers
- 543 Sarcoma
- 740 Skin Cancer
- 658 Stomach Cancer
- 192 Testicular Cancer
- 1.5K Thyroid Cancer
- 5.9K Uterine/Endometrial Cancer
- 6.3K Lifestyle Discussion Boards