Bph symptoms for 3 years but could i really have prostrate cancer?
Posted , 8 users are following.
I got BPH symptoms for over three years. When they started my PSA was below normal. Since then I've had several DRE's from different doctors and nurses and they all save the prostate is a little large but normal and rule out prostate cancer. My question is do prostate cancer symptoms go on for years without little change? Similar to what I'm experiencing in BPH. No pain blood or anything unusual except the regular BPH retention.
0 likes, 7 replies
david41064 belwolf71613
Posted
Don't screw around. Get a PAE and your life will improve. I recommend Dr. Isaacson at UNC Chapel Hill. Has done hundreds if not thousands.
tom86211 belwolf71613
Posted
A DRE is just one way of screening for prostate cancer. The doctor is checking for prostate irregularities that can be felt. In most cases a rising PSA can be a "red flag" and then a 12 core biopsy is done, or a 3T MRI. A rising PSA can just mean that the prostate is enlarging. In my case, my DREs were always OK, but my PSA went to 4 and I was sent to a urologist for a biopsy. It came back positive for low grade cancer. A second biopsy 18 months later showed "progression". I then had radiation for the cancer, now gone. My original point: you can't really know if you have prostate cancer or not from a DRE - it's just a first step.
Wishing you all the best, Tom
belwolf71613
Posted
Thanks Tom, I have had BPH symptoms for over three years. My GP and urologist say that if I have prostate cancer symptoms these typical BPH symptoms would have progressively changed. That is why they are ruling out prostate cancer. The last PSA I have what's when I was first getting the symptoms and it came completely normal.
rdemyan belwolf71613
Posted
Given that you don't seem to clearly be symptomatic, I would recommend you have a free PSA and PCA-3 test in addition to the PSA test. Like the PSA test the "free PSA" test is a blood test. The PCA-3 test is a test of prostate fluid (the urologist has to push on your prostate to get the fluid to come out). Definitely get at least the free PSA test. There's another test called 4kscore, but I don't know anything about it (you might google it or perhaps somebody who reads these posts has had it done - I get the impression that insurance is reluctant to cover it; but maybe that has changed).
In the past my PSA has jumped to as high as 7.8 for a brief period. It was never clear why, but always seemed to go back down after a course of antibiotics (perhaps it was prostatitis). Now, in addition to PSA tests, I get a free PSA test at least twice a year. I also had one PCA-3 test about 18 months ago. The free PSA tests and PCA-3 test have always indicated the lowest probability for cancer. That was further confirmed by a 3T mp MRI test that I had done 3 months ago. I have never had a prostate biopsy.
andrewcalgary belwolf71613
Posted
"My question is do prostate cancer symptoms go on for years without little change? Similar to what I'm experiencing in BPH"
yes they can, what's you current PSA?, DRE is not an absolute test, get 3TMRI if you are concern,
JerryR belwolf71613
Posted
I agree. I think today the 3T MRI is the gold standard for ruling out Prostate Cancer. If suspicious, then a guided biopsy would be indicated. Most urologists would rather do biopsies than order an MRI. Best of luck to you.
MichaelVM7 belwolf71613
Posted
Heed the advice given you here
Do not rely on DRE only or absence of blood in urine or semen
A good friend thought rising PSA was due to kidney stones lodged in prostate
I urged him to have 3T mpMRI
PIRADS 5 MRI
Guided biopsy found Gleason 8 cancer
Get the PCA3 and 4KScore
Also if total PSA is between 4 and 10, check free PSA %free PSA should be 25% +
If tests are suspect request MRI
Yes, it is possible to have BPH present with cancer
Hoping for the best outcome for you,
Michael