Received the email, which I couldn’t open as I was in the cinema, waiting for the film , to start, tried to blank out thinking about it whilst the film was on, but nervously opened it when I got out, all good thankfully, hope it’s good news for others.
Congratulations to those above that have been given the all clear. It is so important to have the test and to identify any issues early to increase chances of a full recovery.
As stated on other similar threads, I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer early, some 5 years back - my PSA level was 14.
Usual medical procedures undertaken, finishing with 7 weeks of radiotheraphy.
5 years later, PSA level still below one and no long term side effects.
@PeterGage, Peter how many times in that 7 week window did you have radiotherapy ? The reason I ask is I know your treatment was 5 years ago and things are moving fast in the world of Prostate cancer but I have been told I have a 3 week course of treatment coming up at Royal Marsden if I decide this Thursday to undergo the treatment. After having both the transRectal ultrasound biopsies under a local then a month later having Transperineal biopsies under a general anesthestic taken, the Consultant team are recommending radiotherapy. I had side effects from giving the biopsies and also caught flu for the first time for 25 years, so I'm reticent but I guess the chance of getting rid of the cancer means I will have to go for it.
I will ask more questions at University hospital on Thursday but i believe it will be external beam therapy which at least isn't invasive unlike giving the biopsies.
@PeterGage, Peter how many times in that 7 week window did you have radiotherapy ? The reason I ask is I know your treatment was 5 years ago and things are moving fast in the world of Prostate cancer but I have been told I have a 3 week course of treatment coming up at Royal Marsden if I decide this Thursday to undergo the treatment. After having both the transRectal ultrasound biopsies under a local then a month later having Transperineal biopsies under a general anesthestic taken, the Consultant team are recommending radiotherapy. I had side effects from giving the biopsies and also caught flu for the first time for 25 years, so I'm reticent but I guess the chance of getting rid of the cancer means I will have to go for it.
I will ask more questions at University hospital on Thursday but i believe it will be external beam therapy which at least isn't invasive unlike giving the biopsies.
@PeterGage, Peter how many times in that 7 week window did you have radiotherapy ? The reason I ask is I know your treatment was 5 years ago and things are moving fast in the world of Prostate cancer but I have been told I have a 3 week course of treatment coming up at Royal Marsden if I decide this Thursday to undergo the treatment. After having both the transRectal ultrasound biopsies under a local then a month later having Transperineal biopsies under a general anesthestic taken, the Consultant team are recommending radiotherapy. I had side effects from giving the biopsies and also caught flu for the first time for 25 years, so I'm reticent but I guess the chance of getting rid of the cancer means I will have to go for it.
I will ask more questions at University hospital on Thursday but i believe it will be external beam therapy which at least isn't invasive unlike giving the biopsies.
@PeterGage, Peter how many times in that 7 week window did you have radiotherapy ? The reason I ask is I know your treatment was 5 years ago and things are moving fast in the world of Prostate cancer but I have been told I have a 3 week course of treatment coming up at Royal Marsden if I decide this Thursday to undergo the treatment. After having both the transRectal ultrasound biopsies under a local then a month later having Transperineal biopsies under a general anesthestic taken, the Consultant team are recommending radiotherapy. I had side effects from giving the biopsies and also caught flu for the first time for 25 years, so I'm reticent but I guess the chance of getting rid of the cancer means I will have to go for it.
I will ask more questions at University hospital on Thursday but i believe it will be external beam therapy which at least isn't invasive unlike giving the biopsies.
Every weekday for that period. I was physically tired towards the end (but that is common) and I was dribbling pee (not much) for a few weeks; otherwise no short or long term side effects.
As you say the external beam system is not (or was not, 5 yrs ago) evasive in any form.
Best of luck with your treatment and long term health.
Thanks Peter, I was quite fit and didn't really have any symptoms so I was taken aback when I had an abnormal blood test. I will try to see the bigger picture and accept the enemy within needs to be dealt with.
@PeterGage, Peter how many times in that 7 week window did you have radiotherapy ? The reason I ask is I know your treatment was 5 years ago and things are moving fast in the world of Prostate cancer but I have been told I have a 3 week course of treatment coming up at Royal Marsden if I decide this Thursday to undergo the treatment. After having both the transRectal ultrasound biopsies under a local then a month later having Transperineal biopsies under a general anesthestic taken, the Consultant team are recommending radiotherapy. I had side effects from giving the biopsies and also caught flu for the first time for 25 years, so I'm reticent but I guess the chance of getting rid of the cancer means I will have to go for it.
I will ask more questions at University hospital on Thursday but i believe it will be external beam therapy which at least isn't invasive unlike giving the biopsies.
Get it sorted Dave. It'll all be fine. Best wishes.
Can I just ask, is the PSA test just a straight blood test? I think I have some issues which need to be addressed. Recently I've noticed I'm getting up for a pee either in the night or first thing in the morning which isn't usual, also that first one of the morning/night is much slower than it used to be. I'm only 45 however and I realise that this test is usually for people over 50.
The psa is a straight blood test peeing problems do go with age,but are always worth looking into.Prostate problems do occur in younger people so I would certainly suggest you see you gp for peace of mind.
PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is a blood marker that directly correlates to the size of the Prostate Gland. A raised level of PSA will mean that you have an enlarged prostate. Pretty much all men as they age get an enlarged gland. Having an enlarged gland and therefore a raised level of the Antigen is not necessarily as sign of Ca Prostate. (Cancer). The vast majority of enlarged prostates are known as benign prostatic hyperplasia ( BPH) An enlargement of the gland with no malignancy.
The symptoms of an enlargement due to either malignancy or BHP are effectively the same. The Prostate gland is a chestnut sized and shaped organ that sits at the neck of the bladder. If and when the gland becomes enlarged it presses on the neck of the bladder and can cause difficulty in urinating or urinary frequency, nocturia (getting up to pee in the night).
Its one of the reasons that prostate cancer is such a killer in men. We all, mostly notice subtle changes in our urinary frequency as we get older and pass it off as an age thing. By the time it becomes a real problem and we visit our GP and malignancy is involved it can be too late. Having said that. Treatment for Ca Prostate has come on significantly in the last five years and treatments in radiotherapy both external beam and brachytherapy (internal radiation implants) are far more effective and with reduced morbidity ( side effects).
If you have a raised PSA it is certainly important to follow the result up with your GP but don’t think it necessarily means you have cancer. A PSA blood test is a test for identifying an enlarged prostate gland not a test to diagnose cancer.
Can I just ask, is the PSA test just a straight blood test? I think I have some issues which need to be addressed. Recently I've noticed I'm getting up for a pee either in the night or first thing in the morning which isn't usual, also that first one of the morning/night is much slower than it used to be. I'm only 45 however and I realise that this test is usually for people over 50.
Don't mess about. If it's noticeable enough to seek advice on this thread, it's worth 10 minutes of your GP's time.
I'm a little older than yourself but have been through some tests myself in the last year. Hated the thought of it all and thought I was too young for all that fuss but as the old man is currently in the late stages of his prostate cancer that is now untreatable, my wife and family would have dragged me there themselves had I not done something about my similar symptoms as yours.
Losing a little dignity is a small price to pay for peace of mind for you and your family. I had the PSA tests, some ultrasound scans, flow rate tests and they may ask you to keep a pee diary for a few days recording how frequently and how much. You might want to invest in a new measuring jug for the kitchen after that...
In the end I got the...er...thumbs up...from the doc but I've now got a baseline PSA figure to keep an eye on and my wife and family (and me) are totally reassured.
Just remember, if you have to be examined, it's gotta be much, much worse for the doctor down at the business end!
PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) is a blood marker that directly correlates to the size of the Prostate Gland. A raised level of PSA will mean that you have an enlarged prostate. Pretty much all men as they age get an enlarged gland. Having an enlarged gland and therefore a raised level of the Antigen is not necessarily as sign of Ca Prostate. (Cancer). The vast majority of enlarged prostates are known as benign prostatic hyperplasia ( BPH) An enlargement of the gland with no malignancy.
The symptoms of an enlargement due to either malignancy or BHP are effectively the same. The Prostate gland is a chestnut sized and shaped organ that sits at the neck of the bladder. If and when the gland becomes enlarged it presses on the neck of the bladder and can cause difficulty in urinating or urinary frequency, nocturia (getting up to pee in the night).
Its one of the reasons that prostate cancer is such a killer in men. We all, mostly notice subtle changes in our urinary frequency as we get older and pass it off as an age thing. By the time it becomes a real problem and we visit our GP and malignancy is involved it can be too late. Having said that. Treatment for Ca Prostate has come on significantly in the last five years and treatments in radiotherapy both external beam and brachytherapy (internal radiation implants) are far more effective and with reduced morbidity ( side effects).
If you have a raised PSA it is certainly important to follow the result up with your GP but don’t think it necessarily means you have cancer. A PSA blood test is a test for identifying an enlarged prostate gland not a test to diagnose cancer.
Good summary SHG, but not sure about the last paragraph. After I had two PSA tests over a six month period where my results went from 5.3 to 9.7, I then went to a consultant who said it's one of 4 scenarios. A. Enlarged Prostate B Urinary infection C. Prostatitis (swelling) D. Prostate Cancer.
So the PSA is an indicator for 4 possible outcomes. Only by having a biopsy was it confirmed there were Cancer samples in the Prostate. You then go on to a Gleason scale which are numbered 1to 5. 1 and 2 are not cancer. 3 is graded slow growing, 4 is moderate and 5 is fast growing. They then grade the majority of samples which on my first biopsy (25 were taken) 3 and add it to the highest sample 4. So 3+4 is my Gleason scale.
The issue is the direct correlation between prostate size and amounts of the antigen in the blood. It is not a diagnostic test in any way other than to test for enlarged prostate however that has occurred. Should PSA be elevated it is an indication that further tests are needed to establish why.
If a PSA blood test was a reliable way of diagnosing Ca Prostate it would be the basis of a national screening programme. It is not and it isn’t.
Comments
All good for me. Hope everyone else has positive news.
As stated on other similar threads, I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer early, some 5 years back - my PSA level was 14.
Usual medical procedures undertaken, finishing with 7 weeks of radiotheraphy.
5 years later, PSA level still below one and no long term side effects.
Peter how many times in that 7 week window did you have radiotherapy ?
The reason I ask is I know your treatment was 5 years ago and things are moving fast in the world of Prostate cancer but I have been told I have a 3 week course of treatment coming up at Royal Marsden if I decide this Thursday to undergo the treatment.
After having both the transRectal ultrasound biopsies under a local then a month later having Transperineal biopsies under a general anesthestic taken, the Consultant team are recommending radiotherapy.
I had side effects from giving the biopsies and also caught flu for the first time for 25 years, so I'm reticent but I guess the chance of getting rid of the cancer means I will have to go for it.
I will ask more questions at University hospital on Thursday but i believe it will be external beam therapy which at least isn't invasive unlike giving the biopsies.
As you say the external beam system is not (or was not, 5 yrs ago) evasive in any form.
Best of luck with your treatment and long term health.
Best wishes.
The symptoms of an enlargement due to either malignancy or BHP are effectively the same. The Prostate gland is a chestnut sized and shaped organ that sits at the neck of the bladder. If and when the gland becomes enlarged it presses on the neck of the bladder and can cause difficulty in urinating or urinary frequency, nocturia (getting up to pee in the night).
Its one of the reasons that prostate cancer is such a killer in men. We all, mostly notice subtle changes in our urinary frequency as we get older and pass it off as an age thing. By the time it becomes a real problem and we visit our GP and malignancy is involved it can be too late. Having said that. Treatment for Ca Prostate has come on significantly in the last five years and treatments in radiotherapy both external beam and brachytherapy (internal radiation implants) are far more effective and with reduced morbidity ( side effects).
If you have a raised PSA it is certainly important to follow the result up with your GP but don’t think it necessarily means you have cancer. A PSA blood test is a test for identifying an enlarged prostate gland not a test to diagnose cancer.
Don't mess about. If it's noticeable enough to seek advice on this thread, it's worth 10 minutes of your GP's time.
I'm a little older than yourself but have been through some tests myself in the last year. Hated the thought of it all and thought I was too young for all that fuss but as the old man is currently in the late stages of his prostate cancer that is now untreatable, my wife and family would have dragged me there themselves had I not done something about my similar symptoms as yours.
Losing a little dignity is a small price to pay for peace of mind for you and your family. I had the PSA tests, some ultrasound scans, flow rate tests and they may ask you to keep a pee diary for a few days recording how frequently and how much. You might want to invest in a new measuring jug for the kitchen after that...
In the end I got the...er...thumbs up...from the doc but I've now got a baseline PSA figure to keep an eye on and my wife and family (and me) are totally reassured.
Just remember, if you have to be examined, it's gotta be much, much worse for the doctor down at the business end!
Good summary SHG, but not sure about the last paragraph. After I had two PSA tests over a six month period where my results went from 5.3 to 9.7, I then went to a consultant who said it's one of 4 scenarios.
A. Enlarged Prostate
B Urinary infection
C. Prostatitis (swelling)
D. Prostate Cancer.
So the PSA is an indicator for 4 possible outcomes. Only by having a biopsy was it confirmed there were Cancer samples in the Prostate.
You then go on to a Gleason scale which are numbered 1to 5. 1 and 2 are not cancer.
3 is graded slow growing, 4 is moderate and 5 is fast growing.
They then grade the majority of samples which on my first biopsy (25 were taken)
3 and add it to the highest sample 4.
So 3+4 is my Gleason scale.
If a PSA blood test was a reliable way of diagnosing Ca Prostate it would be the basis of a national screening programme. It is not and it isn’t.