Next Steps

25 is high, but it doesn’t indicate the aggressiveness of the cancer if there is any. The MRI will likely give a PRIADS score of 4 or 5 as PSA of 25 does indicate there will be something to investigate. 

it will be a few weeks to get the biopsy results if a biopsy is required. Again 25 would indicate a biopsy. Only the biopsy will be able to tell you what you are dealing with. I waited 5 weeks for the results. 

wishing you good luck. 

Hi Porthleven 

25/26  is highish but not massively so.

The main thing is theri,   the MRI which will show if still contained within the gland, hopefully it will be.

As you say different for everyone so just wait for the MRI, difficult I know but at least not too long to wait.

So if contained then Def potentially curable and even if just outside the gland then still the same, probably with PSA 26 unlikely to have spread elsewhere.

All the best 

Steve 

Hello Porthleven 

You are at the hardest time of the Prostate cancer journey - the testing, then the diagnosis and then the treatment plan.

Yes your husband's PSA is slowly rising but prostate cancer is usually a slow growing cancer and he's now on the diagnostic pathway. 

You say a PSA level of 26 is very high, well I can play Prostate Cancer cancer top trumps and mine was 182 on diagnosis (the highest I have ever seen was over 4000!). I started my journey on 24 December 2021 and over 4 years later I am still here, feel great, yes I have had a few issues (click on my name or avatar for my personal journey) but the NHS have been brilliant with me (there have been delays) but I am still here and feeling as good as ever!

I keep calm as I have the support of my wife and adult children and indeed my own thread is called Que Sera Sera!! My words of wisdom to you are stay away from Dr Google and remember the fact that 98% of men with a prostate cancer diagnosis die WITH it not OF it. Let the NHS deal with the diagnostics and come back here with any questions you have however trivial.

Our Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 ( 8am to 8pm 7 days a week) is there for you and your husband if you need that little bit of extra support - please do give them a call.

I hope the above helps - feel free to post as and when you have any questions.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thank you for your sensible advice, appreciate it. As you say, the waiting is the worst bit, you just automatically think of the worse scenarios. I need to keep calm! 

Thank you for replying. 

Yes, I realise that although many people mentioned psa levels of 6 or 7, there are many with levels much higher than 25 who have been treated and are doing well. 

I am just playing top trumps with Brian. My husband's was at 1200 when he was first diagnosed almost 5 years ago. He is unfortunately not with us any more as passed recently but he was 81 and had many other health issues and he was eventually too frail to fight it. So to put it into perspective, 26 is above what is ideal, but there have been much higher numbers. As Brian has said don't panic, don't Google and be as supportive as you can. Your husband is quite young and being fit is a huge bonus.

The waiting is the worst bit, but soon you will be more informed and then you can focus on what treatment he will be offered.

Best wishes

Gina

Hi Porthleven this is a horrible time while waiting for results, but there is nothing to indicate that it will be a bad outcome (and even if it were it’s still treatable).  As others have said the MRI will give you a PIRADS score and a little more idea of what might be lurking, but will not give much more.  It might indicate that a biopsy is necessary and then waiting for results can take another few weeks, so you are not going to get a definitive view for some time (sorry but it’s the truth).  Although the PSA is rising it is quite slow so a wait isn’t going to be a problem. Read some of the bio’s on here by clicking on names or the avatar.  Some of us even with a bad initial diagnosis are still lurking around!  As you get more info, add it to your profile to save repeating yourself and just ask any questions (there are no silly questions).  I can’t take your stress away, but can tell you, it does get easier (if it is PCa) once you get a diagnosis and onto treatment.

Getting on the pathway of any cancer is scary and the shock of being told about the numbers and strategies along with treatment plans and scans for Prostate cancer is not wanted neither will it go away.

The thing is that at 63 with a PSA of 26 things are pretty good, but it’s hard to judge against anyone else because we are all on different paths and going at different speeds.

My 89.7 PSA three and a half years ago was not scary at the time because we (my Darling and I) didn’t have anything to compare it to. I didn’t (still haven’t) got symptoms and it was only found by accident.

My way of dealing with it is to be brutally honest and up front about it. This does upset family and friends sometimes but at least they know what’s going on.

I lean on this community all the time and certain netizens are going along like me.

I don’t know why I’ve got cancer and will live less long but I’m 61 and I’m not dead yet. Each day I learn more about myself and my oncology team are looking after me well when I need them. My life is changed and every now and then it changes again. I get wound up and need counselling to help me through the worst of my messed up head. The blood-tests are both great and worrying at the same time, but they’re over quickly unlike the scans and multi-disciplinary meetings which take too long to report.

We all suffer the same things at different times but we all react differently. We are all scarred by the same words being told to us by the oncologists who try to explain what’s happening but we fail to understand it due to the brain fog and panic inside us.

I cry when I can’t cope. I cry when can cope. I’m struggling with my hate of chemo. I’m struggling with my 443 PSA. I’m wanting to get up everyday and live my life with my darling but I haven’t the energy most days. I love my Darling and I try to smile through the bad days but I can see that she is suffering every step of this rocky path.

You will have great days and the odd bad day but you have to keep on going. This is a very slow disease and that’s a good thing. So use this wonderful forum for most of your help and support and as you learn as you go your fears and challenges will be fewer.

Good luck