Suspected Prostate Cancer

Hi Andrew

I suspect you may have come to the wrong place about your condition.

Obviously, I could be wrong, but I do think that it's very unlikely that you have prostate cancer.

If you are in the UK, I first find it very strange that you haven't already been referred to a urologist at least a year ago when the antibiotics failed to work. 

Secondly, I also find it very strange that if your GP suspects cancer that they haven’t done a PSA test. 

In the case of suspected cancer, the usual practice is that the GP does a PSA test and if it's raised then it's repeated a couple of weeks later.  If it's still raised then a rectal examination.  THEN referral to a urologist. 

Thirdly, I don't know what your doctor, (I presume your GP), said, but it's not clear if they’ve referred you as a suspected cancer.  Did they actually say this?  If you were, then you'd expect an appointment within 2 weeks.

The question is, does your GP say it's possibly cancer or did they mention other possibilities?

I suspect a bit of miscommunication or a misunderstanding.

It's good that you've been referred to a urologist and I hope you DO get an appointment soon, if not within 2 weeks.  They should sort this out pretty quickly once they've seen you.

I am not a doctor, but I can tell you my experience.  In 2003, I went to see my GP with symptoms of UTI, he told me to go to the sexual health clinic.  The clinic diagnosed me with non specific urethritis and gave me an antibiotic.  There followed six months of repeated courses of different antibiotics of increasing strengths with no apparent effect, apart from making me vomit.  I went to my GP and asked for a referral to a urologist.

I had to wait several months!

On seeing a urologist within about 10 minutes he said I had prostatitis.  I had several investigations following this, the outcomes of which confirmed prostatitis.  A simple 3 part urine test can indicate it and it can be confirmed by cystoscopy.

I had quite a mild form of the condition, but it was very uncomfortable with continuous symptoms of UTI.  Luckily my prostate did not become particularly large.  In prostatitis it CAN become large and hard due to inflammation. 

As you have an enlarged prostate then you will have symptoms of that i.e.

Wanting to pee urgently

Wanting to pee frequently

Difficult starting to pee – hesitancy

Having to get up at night to pee – nocturia

Since the prostate gland presses on the rectum, it may also affect your bowel motions.

Erectile Dysfunction can also be a consequence, but in part may also be psycholiogical.

These are NOT symptoms of cancer, they are symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland.

Prostatitis can cause raised PSA, so even if your PSA is raised, it still doesn't mean you have cancer.

You will find that urine tests may show white blood cells and possibly a small amount of red blood cells.  It may test negative for any bacteria.  Have you had a urine test recently?

It is very difficult to treat prostatitis with antibiotics, not all cases are due to infection.  So the failure of the antibiotics in the last two years should have suggested referral to a urologist.

That's why, because of your age, symptoms and history, as someone who's had both prostatitis and prostate cancer (not a doctor) I think you may have prostatitis - but you’d need to go back to your GP to find out more as they’re the only ones who can diagnose you. 

I never had any symptoms of an enlarged prostate either when I had prostatitis OR cancer.

Hi, 

I've just moved to the UK from South Africa and all the above tests and doctor's visits were done there... 

I recently visited my GP here and she did a rectal examination, I then was told that I would be referred to a urologist. Which I have been, received the referral letter in the post. I haven't had any urinary infections that I know of. 

I am doing a PSA test on Friday as well as a urine test. 

What concerns me is the fact that I received the letter stating suspected prostate cancer... I have been through many tests and bloodwork and the only thing I have never had checked is my prostate until recently. 

I really do hope that it is prostatis and not cancer, as I to believe that because of my age etc it couldn't be. 

Thank you so much for reply! 

Andrew

As regards your other problems, again I can only express an opinion based on my own experience.

To me these do not sound like they are  related to your prostate gland.

With VERY advanced prostate  cancer lymph nodes can be affected, but the tests you’ve had have ruled that out.  Also with VERY advanced prostate cancer you can get bone pain, and if a nerve is being compressed you can get nerve pain.  The pain you describe does not sound like that.

From my own  experience again, I suffer neuropathy, i.e. nerve pain.  I get this in my lower back and down my legs, mainly my left leg.  It is sometimes a dull aching pain, sometimes burning, sometimes a shooting pain.  I also get buzzing or tingling sensations.  Both my big toes and soles of my feet are partially numb.  I have no reflexes in my legs.

I can’t say however that I get pains in my leg joints

If this sounds like what you experience then it may be a spinal problem.  If not, then it needs further investigation.  I’m afraid this site will be of little help to you.

Hi, 

Thank you again for your time and effort. I will carry on with the tests and see what happens. I was just scared to see that they suspected something, but from what you've told me, it's safe to say that it may very well be nothing to worry about. 

Thank you and enjoy the rest of your day. 

Andrew

Thanks for the clarification.

That's great, you will find out soon enough.

Because the letter says suspected cancer then you will be seen quickly

I have to add that GPs aren't very good at spotting prostatitis, but before suspecting cancer should have done a PSA as this is unnecssarily raising your anxiety.

Be prepared for your PSA being raised.

If it is it does NOT mean it's cancer.  I have known men who have quite high PSA and no cancer and men with quite low PSA who do have cancer.

You may find this link helpful   and this one - the PSA test

And this link - Prostatitis

I suffered chronic prostatitis for 7 years, if you do have prostatitis, it sounds like acute prostatitis.