Pending prostate biopsy

Hello LXJ 

A warm welcome to the group although I am so sorry to find you joining us. 

The normal PSA range for someone aged 52 is below 3.5 so you are only just over that - I would have thought If they find any sign of cancer it will be VERY treatable and any treatment will be on a "Curative Pathway".

Here's al ink to our guide to the biopsy:

The trans perineal biopsy.

Feel free to ask any questions - nothing is too trivial. i wish you well on Thursday.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi LXJ your PSA is very low, but the fact that you have been asked to have a biopsy indicates that something of concern has been found.  A biopsy will confirm if it is prostate cancer (PC).

We tend to divide PC into ‘curable’ and ‘treatable’.  I am in the treatable camp and just over 9 years since diagnosed.

If PC is detected in your case, the very low PSA would strongly suggest curable.  Often in this group no action is taken for years or decades before intervention becomes necessary.  

This is a really stressful time and we have all been in it.  
Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Thanks for the reply Brian and the link  

Hi   A biopsy isn’t as bad as it sounds.   It’s uncomfortable but only like going to the dentist.  As others who are far more knowledgeable than me have said  you’re going to be fine.   At my biopsy the consultant talked me through it , told me what he could see in scan and what he was doing.      Good luck Simon 

Hello LXJ . The biopsy is a well trodden pathway for us on here, a very necessary part of the full diagnosis and in some ways determines whether or not treatment is needed ‘up front’.

The biopsy itself is a bit uncomfortable but nothing to worry about, and is over quite quickly. Be prepared to be manhandled into a bit of a ‘legs up’ position to give them good access. I didn’t feel the local anaesthetic go in and only one twinge from the 12 samples taken. No dressing, no bleeding afterwards and went home wondering why I had been so worried and feeling as though it hadn’t happened. Like probably everyone, there was some blood in my urine for some time afterwards, varying from red to pink with time, so don’t be surprised by that.

Taking your focus away from what’s going on ‘down there’ by having someone chatting with you, or ask if you can take something in to listen to, really helps. I get nervous about anything clinical, and as I said on another thread earlier, when the nurse chatting to me was called away I found myself counting the ceiling tiles to occupy my mind!

You should get the results quite quickly afterwards. Good luck - hope it all goes well.

Hello Amplitude , can you tell me how long it took to get your results back after the biopsy? 

Just checked and it was 11 working days for me  LXJ 

Hello LXJ 

I would ask the biopsy team how long they anticipate the results to take - it differs from Health Authority to Health Authority - sadly some take 6 - 8 weeks!!

Best wishes - Brian.

Did they tell you what the MRI showed? Do the doctors in UK have patient portals where you can see the test results & doctors notes like here in the USA? Personally I would want to know why the biopsy was ordered. 

No unfortunately not, I did ask but the person on the phone said he was not qualified to discuss it. I am not aware of any patient portals here in the UK.