Awaiting PSA result

Hello Al

I have just read your post and can fully understand your anxiety - I have had plenty of sets of "full bloods" and on my NHS app they have ALL come back at the same time. I can't see any reason to keep your PSA reading back - you are entitled to know your PSA what ever is.

I am aware we have Community members who do have low or no PSA readings where the cancer has spread and this is referred to as "none secreting PSA". Prostate Cancer UK say this accounts for less than 1% of patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

I know this isn't what you want to read - but it's better to know than to be in the dark. If I can do anything else for you drop me a message. I hope you will have some replies from people with similar symptoms. I hope the X-ray goes well and you get the PSA results back ASAP.

Please keep us posted as to how your journey progresses.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thanks for the contact. I will chase again tomorrow. Very disappointed that a GP would lie about the test being not reported  if indeed they do have it. I can see from previous reporting that the PSA results do get reported separately so am hoping it’s just a glitch. 

In your experience as a community champion. Do you have a any idea how quickly when prostrate csncer work reads to bone how quickly it spreads the reason I ask is that I feel I have many painful bones already which seems scary 

Hello ajc0454 

First of all - let me confirm I do not have advanced Prostate Cancer - mine is being treated with HT/RT and is being treated as curative even though I am a Gleason 9 which is a very fast growing cancer mine was caught in the very early stages.

Bone pain and the associated symptoms can have many causes, yes one is a spread of Prostate Cancer but there are other causes - not always Prostate Cancer. The issue is, is you have the cancer with a low PSA reading it could be a slow growing one - and it's been going "walkabout" from the gland slowly for a number of years .You just don't know - I would think if there is any suggestion tomorrow it's Advanced Prostate Cancer you will be offered an urgent MRI scan to obtain a diagnosis.

There is plenty of information by clicking on "cancer information and support" at the top of this page and following the links. You can also download some cracking publications from Prostate Cancer UK - the link to these is below'

https://shop.prostatecanceruk.org/our-publications

I am aware this is causing you anxiety - let's wait and see what the results of the x-rays are tomorrow and move forward from there - without a diagnosis - it's speculation - and could be something else.

I am around in the next few days - anything else just ask and I will see what I can do for you.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thanks.  Of interest I needed an MRI in 2020 for another issue I persuaded them to examine my prostate as this wasn’t that long after being diagnosed with enlarged prostate so it was to good an opportunity for it to be examined.  The result showed no cancer. So hoping as that isn’t that long ago am hoping I have not had a cancer than had been doing walkabout to use your words so not around to long.

Al

Hi ajc0454.     Just a personal thought but my hubby had pains in his ribs before his diagnosis,  was told last week by the oncologist that it was fluid build up around his lungs, which soon went when he was on medication.  So please don't panic that it has 'gone walkabout ' as Millibob calls it. 

Thanks ajc0454 and Gardening lady Let's hope for the best - Keep us posted and good luck.

As I always say say - it's our Community and we are all with you here.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hello Al, I don't think your GP is lying!  When they do full blood screening you might have noted that they fill several different bottles. These bottles go off to various labs for testing eg pathology, microbiology, haematology etc. We don't always get all our results back on the same day and have found that some take a day or two longer. Im not sure in which lab PSA is tested, though.

We get the results on our NHS app and they are usually headed as 'satisfactory, no action needed', 'unsatisfactory as expected, no action needed', unsatisfactory, contact your surgery'. They often come through as different tests even though all blood taken at the same time. We have never had unsatisfactory blood results withheld by the GP - they don't have time for such niceties as phone calls, letters etc. My husband was even given his prostate cancer diagnosis over the phone!

I hope this reassures you somewhat but I would urge you to chase the PSA result up for your own peace of mind and to check that the NHS is actually working for you and has not let you slip through any cracks in the system.

As you can tell - I don't trust the System one iota and constantly take matters in to my own hands cos my husband won't!

HTH

Hello Al, I have been told that PSA results always come back later than "regular" blood tests and it also depends on what time of day you have them done. My nurse specialist recommends getting them done before 11am to get the result back the same day. After 3pm they can take until next day.

It all depends on where the test was sent - it may not have been sent to the same laboratory as the other and sometimes when the laboratory it is sent to is busy they send it on to another laboratory at another hospital.  This also accounts for slight differences in numbers received especially with PSA as some laboratories are only able to test to a so many decimal points and others can test further.  These are not huge differences sometimes only 0.001 but enough to sometimes make us worry with PSA. 

We don't have a NHS App here in Wales so wouldn't get our results on line.  I waited weeks to get my full board of tests because the receptionist at our local health centre couldn't give them to me.  I had to make an appointment to see a Doc which was cancelled 3 times and eventually saw a Doc at our othere health centre in town who could tell me there was nothing wrong with any of the tests and ordered one more test.  On my way out I asked if I could have a print out of the blood tests and they could give me one!  We are also always told to wait a week for blood tests to come back so I shall be telephoning next Monday for the result and going tot he health Centre in town to get a print out of the result.  If not I may have to wait until the New Year!  :)

I do hope that you get your results soon.