Diagnosis

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Anyone offer any experience/advice?

Age 69

8years ago 2011 PSA 3.3 no abnormalities in DRE

March 2019 PSA 5.4 ---abnormalities prostate hard and enlarged 47 cc

No symptoms IPSS 5 no abnormal urine retention

MRI awaiting results---long wait for results  What can I expect?

  • Morning Swede and welcome

    It doesn't have to be PC, could be BPH , enlarged prostate

    But only further tests will tell what's going on, it's impossible to speculate.

    The MRI may show a dark/shadow area which could indicate PC but a biopsy would be needed to be certain and to give a Gleeson score which indicates aggressiveness.

    Your Psa is still low so hopefully if PC is confirmed it will be a slow growing affair confined to the prostate and therefore easily treatable.

    Best wishes

    Steve

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to Grundo

    Swede,

    Same as the above post really.  While PSA levels are the be-all-and-end-all for prostate cancer patients, it is a really unreliable test especially on its own.  The only sure way to know is a biopsy.  For a man aged 60-70 normal PSA can be up to 5.5.  For 70-80 it can be up to 6.5 although a simple ratio used elsewhere as a rough guide is 50-60 = 5, 60-70 = 6, 70-80 = 7 and so on. 

    PSA tests can be affected by some very simple events:  having sex 24 hours before will raise the reading as will riding a bike.  It is also affected by the time of day and can be different in the morning from late afternoon.  So a reading of 5.4 on its own with no other evidence should not cause you worry and distress especially as the other symptoms appear normal.  If you are seriously worried then a biopsy is the only sure way to find out.

    Hopefully you will not join this club.

    Regards 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Thanks SD1

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to Grundo

    Thanks Steve