help PSA 9.7

If you have PCa, very big "if" at the moment, the treatment will likely involve a period in which to prevent the disease spreading, you will be advised to take pills or have injections to reduce your testosterone. This will reduce your libido. Nothing to be afraid of, if the alternstive is to let PCa rule your shortened life....

AC

It seems you have looked at some rubbish websites - biopsies do not cause ED or urinary issues (although I guess there will be some men who get ED simply because they are frightened of having cancer). It is the treatments that may cause ED / incontinence. Better to know whether a) you actually have PCa b) it needs treatment or could be manged through close monitoring. A slight firmness is a concern so I can see why the urologist wants to start diagnostic tests. 

You could ignore all of this and not get a diagnosis if you wish but it is important to understand that if indeed you do have PCa which goes untreated and becomes advanced, you will end up with ED and incontinence anyway plus you will die much sooner. And a PCa death is not usually an easy pain-free affair. Basically, avoiding diagnosis does not avoid the side effects you fear whereas treatment does not automatically lead to those side effects. 

If you get the all-clear, you will have a baseline for future monitoring. 

O

It was nearly five years ago, but I remember describing my Trus biopsy as a walk in the park.

Thanks Chris

That's really helping Chris thank you.

Does anyone know why we are offered the Trus type more frequently than the template type. Would my Uro think I'm being awkward if I requested the template type?

As to why is a TRUS biopsy more common, I think the simple answer is that it's a much cheaper and more straightforward procedure. In my case I was subsequently referred for a template biopsy because the findings of the TRUS weren't really consistent with my relatively high PSA of 32, so my urologist wants to find out if there's something more aggressive lurking in the part of the prostate that a TRUS can't get at.

Biopsies are honestly nothing to be scared of. Please have one - it's the only certain way to find out whether or not you have prostate cancer.

Chris

Chris

So yes, as the article says, if an mpMRI shows something suspicious, it can then be used to guide a biopsy. The problem is that "false negatives" are common. A clear MRI does not mean no cancer.

Chris

Absolutely. My Multi Parametric MRI showed only one significant lesion. The scanner was a t1.5 and I commented to the technician why it wasn’t a t3 (latest tech) he told me that they were being used in research. I said they give better definition he had no answer. Injections are a die and relaxant. Slight sensation of sickness due to drugs.

Professor contrasted my saturation biopsy vs image and was surprised that significant tumours did not show on the MRI. He assumed biopsy pot error.

You can elect to do biopsyunder general anaesthetic if you want. I think my surgeon preferred it because he was more able to manover the body into different positions. My biopsy stopped a partial prostectomy call. They may have left significant tumour behind if I only had an mri guided biopsy targeting the single lesion. Your large prostate works in your favour. Mine was measured at 19ml so your PSA would be higher naturally. My DRE negative, yours positive. Welcome to the lottery

Post biopsy symptoms - soreness, bruising, blood in pee slightly uncomfortable to pass, burning sensation in coccyx. Nothing to worry about

The weird thing about transitioning from the world of complete ignorance to knowing you have an elevated PSA comes home fast when you lay on that scanner bed it suddenly becomes very real and quite emotional. You are quite likely to say your first prayer at that point.

Fresh

Edited by member 24 Jul 2018 at 21:00  | Reason: because auto correct was invented by Satan

Thanks Fresh. Just read your profile.

Can I ask what your treatment is going to be?

Also seems like your saying no alternative to getting my Prostate turned into a pin cushion.

My treatment was RALP (Robot Assisted Laparascopic Prostectomy). You May take an alternate route- don’t rush to take that decision. You need a lot of info before you make that or any call. My choice was influenced mostly by a belt and braces approach. Surgery left Radiotherapy on the shelf if needed. 

I interviewd a surgeon who does operate (selectively) on Radiotherapy patients with reoccurrence. He described how it was like cutting through concrete (his words) and risky plus the natural surgical planes are broken down as the prostate is radiated. Etc .... lots to discuss. 

The biggest point here though is that you owe it to everyone else in your life to take it seriously and the guys in this forum who are fighting major late stage disease. plus coutless other lives that have qued up in hope for trials, and sat in control arms of trials and died to get us this far.

The alternate is I can take you BASE jumping which I guarantee will cause incontinence and erectile function loss and probably poopy nickers as well.

Fresh

Latest research would say MPMRI is diagnostic on its own for significant (ie needs treating) prostate cancer. It is definitely better to have the MRI before biopsy, MRI after biopsy is clouded by the damage from the biopsy needles, it also provides a target for a susequent biopsy..