Not even diagnosed yet, but...

Hello Thirl  and a warm welcome to the Prostate Cancer forum - we aren't a bad bunch.

The appointment with a Macmillan nurse isn't a confirmation that you have cancer - it's the start of the process to check on you. A raised PSA is a marker as PSA isn't always accurate so that they will want to discuss the results of the MRI scan. It may lead to Active Surveillance for a few years or if there is need for further action perhaps a biopsy.

By all means take your wife to the meeting, 4 ears are better than two but think of it this way - you are being seen by the professionals to ensure your treatment - whatever - if ever anything is needed is started as soon as possible.

I had none of the usual symptoms of Prostate Cancer, indeed that was the last thing on my mind when I ended up at A & E with a PSA of 182, so being seen with a low PSA is a good thing.

Prostate cancer - along with many other cancers has many new treatments in the pipeline and a fact is that 98% of men diagnosed with Prostate cancer die with it not of it! it's a very treatable cancer.

You did ask for a "realistic view" - well I am being honest and not trying to hide anything.- I hope this helps.

If you have any questions - however trivial - please feel free to ask.

Keep in touch and please let us know how you get on.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Thirl,

the fact that you have a chequered history regarding PSA being up & down means that they will always study your results carefully. Your MRI may have come back as PIRAD 3 which means they have seen the slight possibility of a very early cancer, or a benign lesion. If so, they would want to talk to you in person to see if you want to keep an eye on it (active surveillance) or if you want a biopsy to look closely at the cells. Of course, it may be that your healthy prostate produces varying PSA  and there’s nothing amiss!!  The sheer fact that your PSA has bounced around between 3.5 and 5.8 in the past 7 years plus suggests that whatever is causing it is acting very slowly. Don’t worry - you have time on your side and let our wonderful NHS look after your health. AW

Thank you Brian.

Honestly, just seeing you say "appointment with a Macmillan nurse isn't a confirmation that you have cancer" is enough to make me feel a million times better. I know it does not confirm anything either way but it's better than the 100% doom I felt before hand. It had hit me like a wall when I read I was seeing a woman who was a MacMillan Nurse. So, thanks for that positive response, it'll certainly make me less amxious while waiting for next week's appointment. 

Yes, my wife and I always go to medical things together where possible - even to the dentists! Though she refuses to sit in the room and hold my hand while the drill is going off!!!! But she will certainly be with me this time. I'm about to tell her what you wrote so - hankies at the ready - again!

I have read (may times) about the 98% survival etc and tons of other stats and information over the years, in  expectation that this day (or week) would come at some point due to the up and down nature of my PSA results.

Once again, thank you.

Thank you AW,

As with the message from Brian, you have helped lower my anxiety a huge amount. Please read the reply I gave to Brian to avoid me repeating myself but assume it was written to you!!

Thanks again.

Hello Thirl 

It's no problem, as my friend  Mike "The Highlander" said in the New to the Community forum - it's the start of the process - he was fine - he's got other issues but it's best to find out and one way or another for peace of mind.

I would say there's plenty of information out there but the best two sources of information are MacMillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK. The link below takes you to some great information and I hope you find this of use.

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

If I can do anything else for you please get in touch.

I hope you both sleep well tonight and all goes well at your appointment next week.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Thirl, Same thing happened to my hubby about 10 years ago, he had a raised PSA.  Since then he has had a biopsy which was taken several years ago, and also has a PSA blood test every 6 months at our local surgery, it is then sent to the hospital for analysis and then a nurse phones us with the result, and sometimes its high and sometimes its low.  To be honest my husband said to me the other week he does not know why he bothers, but I said to him, its no trouble to go every 6 months for a blood test, but he feels as he does not have cancer, why bother.  But saying that you must of course attend your appointment, hopefully if its anything like my husbands results it just keeping an eye on things.  I only come on this Macmillan Support Line as I had bowel cancer last year, and I found it so helpful with people who have been through the same thing, lots of good advice etc, and thought I would look on the prostate help forum as my friends husband has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and is going to start a course of radiotherapy, and I have told him to come on here as it may help him also.  Wish you all the best when you go for your appointment.