Diagnosis - what happens next?

Hi Ricegirl , there is no ‘normal’ but something along the lines of an appointment in about 3 or 4 weeks.  The initial PSA score is possibly all you have at the moment, so all options are on the table.  It’s a horrible time waiting but Prostate Cancer is often very curable.  Please come back with any questions and we will do our best to answer.

Hello Ricegirl 

If you don't count the ambulance and mental health trusts in England there are about 140 NHS Trusts and they all work their own way but:

The PSA, Biopsy, (Gleason Score & TNM), MRI and Bone Scan results (which can take up to 12 weeks to all come together) then go before an MDT Meeting (Multidisciplinary Team) who decide on the best course of treatment. The MDT meetings are held weekly.

The ideal course of action is a face to face meeting to discuss the results but in some areas this is a telephone call (or telephone appointment). You are then offered a treatment plan.

Depending on his results and the area you live in there may be other options - you don't have to accept what the MDT decides.

To help us to help you it's a good idea to put as much information into his profile - where any Community member can read it (you can read mine by clicking on my name or avatar). To add to the profile - click on the computer screen icon  - top right on your home page, then "profile" and then "edit". Don't forget to save it once you have written something.

This link will help you understand the diagnosis:

Staging and grading of Prostate Cancer.

The waiting for a diagnosis and treatment plan is the hardest part of this journey.

Please do get back to me if you have any questions, nothing is too trivial.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Ricegirl,

sorry to hear your husband has our problem.

Each hospital has its own way of dealing with the results and timelines to treatment vary wildly. 

I had a phone call from a 'specialist nurse' to tell me the results.

I found it better to see if there is a boss specialist nurse you can contact and e mail them to ask the questions you need answering or even better if you have the name of his consultant then find out his/her secretary, they often deal with more than one consultant which is helpful. If no named consultant just pick a name from the ones they have on the hospital website.

The hospital switchboard can give you a number for the secretary. They are often very helpful and can point you in the right direction.

Best wishes 

Albert