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I am 67 years old and I have had my PSA monitored for about 20 years. I have had two biopsies over the space of about 10 years and they have always been negative. However, my PSA continues to be on the high side so I was advised that I should get an MRI.
The MRI results have PI-RADS ratings from 1 to 5 with 1 being a low chance of cancer and 5 a Very High chance of cancer.
My results indicate that in two areas at the front of my prostate I have a 4 and a 5 rating..not what I had expected. It was only on a return visit to my urologist did I learn that the previous biopsies did not reach to the front of my prostate, which I now understand is just the case with that procedure.
I have now been refereed to a procedure I believe called an MRI TRUS where they use the MRI results and Ultrasound to pinpoint the exact location in the prostate, and send the biopsy needles in there to get the results form the precise area in the prostate.
Of course the word cancer freaks me out in spit of all that I have read, especially with scores of 4 and 5. The wait for the next procedure may be two months or more.
My question is..will this wait negatively affect my chances of getting this sucker cured, or are two or three months at this stage no big deal
Ted:
In the absence of any other, more authoritative responses, I will provide a few (layman's) thoughts for your consideration:
--You may or may not have PCa so it's a bit early to talk in terms of a cure
--One factor you did not mention is how quickly your PSA is rising. A doubling time of less than a year is more worrisome than a more rapid ascension
--I fully understand your concern having personally grappled with PCa for far too many years
--While you wait to know the outcome of your tests, spend your time wisely. If you have not already done so, begin your research effort to determine what treatment options you might wish to consider.
Best wises Don O.
