Tests for Prostate cancer

Hello Caromac and welcome. We can all recognise the initial fear and how everything at the beginning revolves around the tests and possible diagnosis. To answer your question then despite a high positive predictive value for identifying clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa), up to 18% of PI-RADS (Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System) 5 lesions are found to be benign on biopsy. Just take things one day at a time, try distraction techniques by organising treats and please keep away from Dr Google but use reliable sources for information like PCUK, CRUK and Macmillan. If you want to learn a bit about the diagnosis process, what the results mean and possible treatments then there is a good book which you can download for free.

https://issuu.com/magazineproduction/docs/js_prostate_cancer_guide_for_patients_ezine

Keep asking questions and we will try and help.

Hi Caromac , unfortunately I can’t put your mind at rest as none of us know, but we do know what a horrible time this is just waiting for results.  I am not medically qualified but my thoughts are that the PSA is low, so that’s good.  PIRADS 5 isn’t great but not certain to be cancer.  IF it is PCa then it is most likely to be curable.  In my case it is not curable, but I am now in my 8th year of treatment and still going.  PCa is not like many cancers, firstly it is slow growing, secondly it can simply be put to sleep for years, thirdly it can be cured and if not, successfully treated for many many years.  Please come back if you have any questions.  David

Hi Caromac

Pirads 5 does indicate it could be cancer but need the biopsy to confirm.

PSA is low so even if it is cancer then should be easy to treat and indeed curable.

While waiting for the biopsy results the MRI report could tell u more indicating size if any tumour 

Try and hurry them up with the biopsy results if possible 

Good luck

Steve 

What all the other say.

This is the worst part.

Even if a diagnosis does state that you have cancer, it will be able to be treated in some way, and quite possibly cured.

Harass them for your biopsy results. When you've got them, you can tell us, and someone here is likely to be able to describe what will happen next.

Hi Caromac - I agree with all comments so far.  You have obviously read that PIRAD 5 is the most likely to result in a cancer diagnosis.  HOWEVER, it is also a good thing, because the consultant has an excellent view of where the lesion is.  With a low PSA it is likely (but not certain) that the lesion is a slow growing curable lesion.   AW

Thank you very much for your replies, incredibly helpful thank you. The waiting is horrendous. Thanks again Caromac

Take it easy!

I'm not out to give you good news but to lay out how beatable prostate cancer is and how generally easy the treatment is too.

So sure, they're a bit slow coming back with the results but with a PSA of only 5, you needn't be overly worried. There are a number of things that can raise a PSA level - an infection - an enlarged prostate - even a recent ejaculation can all cause it to rise but also, prostate cancer is there.    And sure, it's best to perhaps assume that he probabaly does have prostate cancer (as you obviously guess) but of all cancers, it's only really a killer if you ignore it.   I say it's best to assume that he has it so that you can get yourself (and him) steeled for news and action and the inconvenience too - just in case.     Because while a PSA reading of just 5 doesn't say "cancer", it can easily be right too.

So, assuming that he does have prostate cancer, once the therapy team gets hold of it, they won't let it get him!  However, he'll have to go through a long period of treatment to get rid of it.   More often than not it'll be radiotherapy daily for a month followed by perhaps 18 months of hormone treatment.  (That'll give you a chance to gloat and tell him that your hot flushes are worse than his!)

That's what I endured but it could have been worse had I not thought to mention my problems of delayed weeing to my GP early on.  My PSA went to over 60 before treatment and still they cured it.

The time to get a bit more worried (but even so, not so worried that you can't sleep at night) is when it returns - if it returns.   Apparently, occasionally some cancer cells are, in effect, wandering around and don't get treated.  If that happens, then you can get a second dose of prostate cancer...but that's years ahead - if indeed it even happens to your husband.

I'm one of the unlucky ones who's just been diagnosed with recurrent prostate cancer but still I'm not losing my mind.  They'll treat it and one day I'll pass on - not from the cancer but with it.

So try to relax.  There'll be moments later on when your strength may help your hubby but not now.  For now he's ok and the experts will soon sort him out!  And hubby will still be there to sort you out!