Cancer, There we are, I've said it.

Good morning Simon.

Welcome to a club that you wish you never belonged to, but will be glad you joined.

Waiting for test results is the most miserable part, and continues for a while.

You have a raised PSA level - but not TOO high. If it continues to be at that level there is likely to be an MRI in your future, and possibly a CT scan, and maybe a bone scan.

If the MRI shows a lesion then it is very probably you will be introduced to the excitement of a biopsy. Whilst no fun, it is not as bad as it sounds, and it gives the final puzzle piece

Treatment, or treatments, will be recommended.

Using myself an example:

• PSA 7.2 (highest).
• MRI showed PIRADS 5 lesion, and a possible escape to a close lymph node. Not the greatest, but not impossible to deal with.
• Bone scan clear
• Biopsy Gleason 9.

Summary: cancer just on the right side of the treatable/curable divide.

Treatment agreed 3 years of hormone therapy and 37 sessions of radiotherapy 6 months in.

Whilst I have had side effects from both, they have been easy to adapt to. At the last test my PSA was undetectable, which is the way the treatment is supposed to work.

You are at the beginning of a journey, but there is every expectation that, though it will be long, it will not crush you.

You are right though. You need to be able to talk about it.

You also need to listen, because the sudden need to take a nap, especially if it happens to coincide with the washing up, may caused raised eyebrows.

I wish you very well.

Steve, thank you so much for your wonderful reply.  It's really appreciated. Reading your story makes things a little less scary, although I have heard about this biopsy and something called a Retroscope! A friend of mine who has advanced prostate cancer is on Hormones, and I often joke that one of the side effects of being "women's" Hormones is that it takes you 3 hours to get ready before leaving the house!! I'll let you know how I get on with the second PSA, which is on the 8th.   Keep in touch. Simon

Steve, mstev2 has given you some excellent information Simon. If you do progress to further tests, I agree that waiting for a test, then waiting for results, then waiting for the next test isn’t great. But you do sort-of get used to it. The medics tend not to release too much information until most, if not all of the tests have been completed.

Try not to let your mind go into dark places, the PSA test has done exactly what it’s there to do. Your PSA is relatively very low and it’s a positive thing it has been found at this early stage. If the low figure is repeated, you will almost certainly be on a ‘curative pathway’. NICE currently reports a 99%, 10-year treatment success rate for localised PCa for both RP and RT.

Hopefully your next PSA test isn’t raised but if it is there is lots of information available via this group to help you with moving forwards.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. Some sound advice all round. My GP has been excellent so far, and this forum is clearly an excellent support network.

Take care,
Simon

 SimonW1973 I feel moved to reply because I probably wrote a post similar to yours about 7 months ago, and got a similar boost from this group.

My late Mum's advice (not about c*ncer) was to take one day at a time. It has never had more resonance than right now.

I update my profile/timeline on here and track my j*urney and it helps me to see where I was and where I am now, which is PSA <0.01, still catheterised but planning surgery, 90% pain-free and embracing being me.

Stick with us. We get it.

All the best

Chris

Thank you, Chris.  Glad you're doing ok with it.  These forums are so important, aren't they? Just knowing that you're not the only person out there who is facing this.

Stay Well.

Simon.

Chris, I've just read your diary on your page.  Goodness, you've had a lot to deal with, haven't you?  A lot of ups and downs. I did enjoy your diary entry No 13!! I didn't understand the medical terms, but your closing comment made me laugh!

Hi Simon.    Yeah.   The waiting is stressful.   Hopefully nothing will materialize.      All the best.  

Another Simon! Excellent!   Just to thank you for your reply and encouragement. All appreciated.    Simon

Let us know how it goes.    All the best