My husband has been for his biopsy this morning, where a nurse helpfully told him he has prostate cancer and will have it for the rest of his life. However, we shouldn't worry because it can be treated with hormones! Does she have the authority to do this?
She also gave him the results of his bone scan! It seems there is only one bone met, in the pelvis, so that's better news than I was expecting.
He was also advised this morning that his disabling symptoms, all listed on the Cancer Research website under prostste cancer, are nothing to do with it, so no need to worry on that score!
Biopsy results will take 4 weeks, so we're not expecting to see a consultant and have a proper conversation until the end of August.
I notice that today's discharge report says:
PSA 7.5, prostate volume 50cc, PIRADS 5, T3a. N1
The first two are self explanatory. Can anyone explain the rest please?
Thank you
Hello ansteynomad
I would have thought the nurse didn't have the authority to make that comment - after all the samples had only just been taken and not been examined at the laboratory yet!! She's probably going off the bone scan results.
PI-RADS 5 means that they had a good view of the cancer on the MRI and there is a very high likelihood of clinically significant Prostate Cancer.
The other numbers and letters are part of his TNM score. Details of how this is made up are in the attached:
Staging-and-grading-of-prostate-cancer
I hope this helps - if you need anything else just ask.
Best wishes - Brian.
Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
Strength, Courage, Faith, Hope, Defiance, VICTORY.
I am a Macmillan volunteer.
