Im feeling so shocked and confused today.
My husband had a psa test which came back 4.1 so was reffered for a mri, honestly we didn't think the score was that bad as he's 58.
We got the results of mri and were told it is stage 5 and he is going for a biopsy friday. They also said about some possible spread in the area.
We are in real shock at the moment everything seems to be happening so fast.
I know nothing about prostate cancer or what scoring means, can anyone please explain.
Hello Busybee7
A warm welcome to the group although I am so sorry to find you joining us under these circumstances.
Without a biopsy he won't know the stage - I think the figure from the MRI may well be something called PIRADS 5 - this means on the MRI scan the have a good view of the prostate and it does look like there is cancer there although a PSA of 4.1 is quite low.
Prostate cancer is a very treatable cancer - I have been on my personal journey for almost 5 years with an initial PSA of 182.
The diagnosis will give you something called a TNM score and a Gleason Score and then your team will be able to come up with a treatment plan.
Here's a couple of information links for you:
Prostate Cancer - Staging and grading.
Try not to panic and once you have had a look at the links I have provided, please do come back with any questions you have.
Best wishes - Brian.
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Hello Busy Bee
i won’t repeat the excellent advice that Brian ( Millibob) has given but I will add that the website www.prostatecanceruk.org has excellent and easily understandable information leaflets.
it is now 4 years since my husband was diagnosed and I remember the shock and anxiety so very well! I learned some very important lessons!
1. Try not to panic. Even if the cancer is not curable it is very treatable and newer and more advanced treatments are being developed and introduced.
2. Get as much information as you can so you can both be aware of treatment options, challenge medical decisions and understand what your journey will involve
3. Monitor your progress through the NHS system closely. We had terrible service from urology , for example. I kept a diary of every person we spoke to at the hospital, what was said, who said it and contact details. This came in very useful when we had to make a formal complaint! Polite assertiveness becomes the rule of this illness!
4. if you experience delays in getting through the various diagnostic tests , let the hospital department know that you are able to drop everything and get to the hospital if they have any appointment cancellations.
5. Remember the NHS referral to treatment times for any cancer ( in England) . These have changed slightly since we were going through it but you can find the info on google. It’s a useful stick to get things hurried along if things are delayed.
I hope this helps and wish you and your husband all the very best. It does get easier once you’ve got through the diagnostics and have a treatment plan and life can still be enjoyed with this diagnosis
