Waiting before test

Hi CP

Sorry to hear about your situation. I wouldn't be too concerned about a delay, hopefully it will be a slow growing cancer, if it is cancer, so u do have time on your side.

In some ways he is better off having the MRI before biopsy because that will give a better overall picture of what is going on.

Waiting is the main problem with PC but hopefully if it is cancer it will be contained within the prostate and therefore easily treatable. What was the psa figure?

Best wishes

Steve

Hi CP.

12 days is a very short time to wait for an mpMRI. I waited 12 weeks! He should then get a biopsy based on the mpMRI scan which will target the cancer cells much more accurately by linking the MRI image to the biopsy machine. See here for more:

https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/en-uk/clinical-specialities/oncology/trus-assisted-prostate-biopsy/artemis-by-eigen

Prostate cancer doesn't grow fast so you have time on your side. Meanwhile, get him to take as much exercise as he can so that he can be as fit as possible before the treatment regime starts.

Hi Steve

Thanks for this reply.  This is all useful to know. 

The PSA figures have been behaving very oddly, and this seems to be because he has other complications.  He has a  nephrostomy bag (urine drainage bag coming from a kidney)  in his side at the moment because of a kidney stone blockage and waiting for a long time for an op - he has been a regular stone-former for 30 years - there is a genetic kidney defect..  He has had an infection, and on the surface of things this would seem to explain everything because apparently infections can raise PSA levels- went up 20 and now down to 4-7, which sounds fine.  BUT just as we were relaxing on this news the consultant suggested a rectal examination, and that is when we got the news of the hard surface of part of the prostate, which is why he is now scheduled for further investigate. 

Best wishes

Julia

Hi Seamus

Thanks for this.  The info about the time scale is much appreciated, as is the info about the use of the MRI scan.  I found both replies so far reassuring. 

I will point out your exercise notes, though within limits ... see my previous post. 

Best wishes

Julia

Really good that he is having the MRI before the biopsy.  You can have a biopsy within days if not hours if need be after a MRI but not the other way round as having the MRI too early after a biopsy can cloud the results as the MRI will show the inflammation etc from the biopsy site.  This is what happened with me and I had to wait for the MRI until the area of the biopsy had healed - at least 3 weeks but more like 6 weeks.  You don't say how old your husband is or his PSA and whether or not he is having any symptoms which would be needed to advise you further.  These short delays - they are nearly always delays of 2 weeks between various tests and appointments as if you think about it it would take time to administer the tests and find places and  should not affect the cancer and rest assured now things are being done the right way around so that if an area of concern is found on the prostate then it will be seen on the MRI image and the biopsy can be taken from that area to give a better and more accurate cancer diagnosis.

Allt he best

Des

Thanks for this Des.  It is really appreciated by both my partner and myself.  It is very useful to understand more about the precise role of the MRI - and why it is better to have one before the biopsy. 

In answer to your other questions:

My partner is 67. 

The PSA situation is a bit weird.  It went up to 20 - which is why he was supposed to be having the biopsy to begin with.  However, as he had already been warned, the reading may have been misleading because he has had a urinary tract infection, which can affect PSA  (The infection is part of a long story to do with kidney stones,  which I have already been through in earlier posts, so won't bore people again.)   However, his PSA has gone back to 4,7 - last week - after antibiotics.  Brilliant we both thought, and started to relax ... that was until the hardened area of the prostate was discovered a few minutes later, and hence the MRI scan being awaited now. 

Best wishes

Julia

Well, glad to hear it seems that the infection was what was causing the higher PSA.  The MRI will give a clearer view of what is happening with the prostate and depending on what is found he may not need a biopsy though one may still be done to confirm whether or not there is cancer or something else causing the hardened area of the prostate.  With his PSA if there is cancer it should have been caught early enough to mean it can be cured. 

All the best.

Des