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Dad had a biopsy done on prostate

Posted , 11 users are following.

nicki0517
nicki0517

Hi. Guys I'm new to this my dad is 70 an went to get normal blood work done an his prostate level was a 10.8 an his prostate was enlarge.. we went to get a biopsy done today.. we are waiting on results what dose this mean has any body had the same.. it's been hard on me just waiting very concerned I just lost my mom a year ago an just took over for my mom.. on caring for my dad..

0 likes, 45 replies

45 Replies

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  • derek76
    derek76 nicki0517

    Posted

    Did they estimate the size of his prostate and had he been having urgency, slow flow, frequency retention and getting up a lot in the night.

    We will asume the most likely outcome to be BPH and this Forum will be helpful on the newer treatments and avoidance of TURP.

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 derek76

      Posted

      Not sure he didn't say the size. All he said when he did the rectum test is that he could only feel half of the prostate that it was so enlarge that he could not get his whole finger in there to feel the whole prostate. An where he did feel it did not feel hard or he did not feel knots. An he gets up about 3 times a night to go pee an I know this cause my bedroom next to the restroom an whe he pees you can hear that it stops then he starts to urinate again an sounds like somthing hard falls in the toilet. An I ask him over an over if he pees ok. He says yes.. an he didn't flush one day an his pee is clear no color I told the doctor cause he don't drink water just for his morning meds am evening meds.. he drinks alot of tea an coffee
  • philip1950
    philip1950 nicki0517

    Posted

    Hi Nicki,

    dont worry overly. My dad had prostate cancer and was treated with injections for years.( I noted this in a previous post )

    Hope your dad goes on and feels well for many years.

    regards

    phil.

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 philip1950

      Posted

      Thank you.. I have to say my dad for 70 is a very strong man..
  • tim07875
    tim07875 nicki0517

    Posted

    Nicki,

    I'm also sorry for your loss. Tough times for sure. Like most of the responders to your question, I agree. I had a really large prostate. At the age of 40 I has a PSA of over 20, which scared me to death. Rounds of antibiotics took it down some. Urologist suggested a biopsy, just to be sure. While everyone will agree that the biopsy is not the final word, it's still a good indicator. I have a good physician friend, the kind of doctor that spends his time doing research, not seeing patients. After my first biopsy which came back negative, he said "Here's some advice. Get a new doctor and a new lab, and have this test done again" Guys miss things, and you want to be "sure". I had it done a second time, negative. Each time my PSA would spike, another biopsy. The bottom line is pretty clear. Enlarged prostates provide higher PSA's. Many times infections cause elevated PSA's.   I try to keep up on these things, and once in awhile I read about some new test that will be doing away with the prostate biopsy. I'm unsure where that technology is today. Try to not think in a negative manner regarding dad, odd are very much in his favor that he's fine. 

    I'll have a good thought for your dad and hope he is fine.

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 tim07875

      Posted

      Thank you so much this site has been so helpful then my dad's damn doctor. Like I said in my previous post. His response for doing a biopsy was to check for cancer.. But now I know it can be other stuff thats not so serious.. I new this forum would be a great help. I had a few with my mom who passed from als an it's nice to chat with other people who kinda relate
    • tim07875
      tim07875 nicki0517

      Posted

      Nicki, It's all good. You should have dads results back at any time, and when you get the good news, buy the guy an adult beverage to celebrate. Odds are in his favor.
    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 tim07875

      Posted

      Lol thank you.. I think I'll drink a few for him he gave it up 15 years ago..
    • alan86734
      alan86734 nicki0517

      Posted

      Hi, Nicki,

      We'll all celebrate with you! That is one of the unique and beautiful features of this Web site; you are not left to struggle alone, unless that is what you specifically want.

      Alan

       

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 alan86734

      Posted

      My dad got his results back an one came back cancer.. he gave us 3 options.. To have blood work done every 4 months or remove the prostate he didn't recommend that. Or meet with the radiation oncologist an hear what he has to say an make are decision after that.. I just want to make the right decision for him an also let him make his own decisions.. I got 5 other siblings an I'm the only one taken care of him just over whelmed.. I got my older 2 sisters an there response oh ok well let us know what he wants to do..
    • tim07875
      tim07875 nicki0517

      Posted

      Nicki,  I'm sorry to hear about your dads test results. The good news is that the mulitple resposes you have received on the Gleason tests are right on. I'm sure you've done your research on Gleason, but the higher the Gleason number, the more urgency to dads treatment. This is a great forum, and the replies you have gotten have been solid advice. Stay close to dads doctor(s) and heed what they say. watch and wait may be an excellent approach, especially if dads overall health is still good.  As one of your responders mentioned, more guys die of other things than prostate cancer, and that is true. Keep an eye on him and keep us in the loop. You have support out there, good luck.  Tim
    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 tim07875

      Posted

      So my had to take another blood test an his psa level is now a 15.0. The doctor said it may be infection but didn't call in antobotic why not?? He left a voice mail so I'm waiting for him to call me back.. he wants to wait tell next month to check his psa again an if it's gone up then start treatment
  • tom86211
    tom86211 nicki0517

    Posted

    Nicki,

    I know that this is a stressful time for you and your dad. I went through the same issues and was eventually treated for prostate cancer. 

    It took about two weeks for my urologist to get the results back to me. The biopsy samples were sent off to a lab. So, if you don't hear anything for a while, that's part of the procedure.

    There is about a 1 in 3 chance that the biopsy will report positive for cancer. But that isn't the whole story. It is likely there were 12 cores taken. The cores will be graded. Some cores may be cancer free, and some may show some cancer. A grading of Gleason 6 with a low percentage of the core showing cancer would be very low risk. The test looks at Gleason grade, percent of the core with cancer and number of cores scoring positive.

    Hopefully, all cores will come back negative, and your dad will just be suffering from an enlarged prostate.

    Even if some of the cores show cancer, there are many options. In my case my urologist suggested Active Surveillance - because my cancer was very low risk. I continued to have my PSA monitored and a year and a half later had another biopsy. During this time I interviewed different doctors so that I would know what I wanted done if and when it was time for treatment. 

    After my second biopsy there was an incease in the cancer, so I decided to have the treatment. I decided that being treated would be a lot less stressful than worrying that the cancer was growing. I had HDR Brachytherapy. Most men just have their prostate removed with robotic surgery. I was concerned that with that procedure there would be too many undesirable side effects. 

    Anyway, just wait for the test results, make sure you have a great urology team, do a lot of research, and you will eventually be able to decide what to do. 

    My very best,

    Tom

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 tom86211

      Posted

      Thank you. We go tomorrow for the results.. an I will be looking for a new doctor I was not happy with him at all.
    • derek76
      derek76 nicki0517

      Posted

      Remember that more men die with prostate cancer than from it.

      You said in your original post that you care for your father. Does he have other health problems?

    • nealpros
      nealpros nicki0517

      Posted

      By all means, if you are not happy with the doctor, get another one.

      Neal

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 derek76

      Posted

      He had open heart surgery about 15 years ago but he been real good about take care of that himself he walks an I make sure I cook healthy for him.. An I take him to all his appt cause he don't understand an he hard of hearing.
    • nealpros
      nealpros nicki0517

      Posted

      It looks like you are taking great care of him.

      Neal

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 nealpros

      Posted

      I got my dad's biopsy back..one came back cancer.. he gave us 3 options.. To do blood work every 4 months an see if it's grown.. Remove the prostate but he don't recommend it.. or start radiatin..he recommended we talk to the radiation doctor first before we make a decision..
    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 tom86211

      Posted

      An your were right they did do 12 an only one came back cancer.. he gave us 3 options to do blood work every 4 months an see if it growing or remove the prostate he don't recommend that. Or do radiation.. he said for us to make a appt with the radiation oncologist an hear what he has to say before we make are decision
    • tom86211
      tom86211 nicki0517

      Posted

      Nicki,

      Sorry that 1 core came back positive, but 1 core indicates a possible low risk situation. If the Gleason grade was a 6 that is also very low risk. Gleason 6 tumors can grow but they don't spread. Gleason 7 or higher tumors are, potentially, dangerous. I had Gleason 6 tumors and weighed not being treated, but since a biopsy is only a sample, there was always the possibility that I might have had some undetected Gleason 7 tumors, so I decided to get the radiation.

      The recommendation to take the PSA every 3 or 4 months (going on Active Surveillance) is also good as it allows you to interview various doctors and decide if and when you want treatment - if at all. 

      There are pros and cons of every treatment option. I spent several years researching my options before deciding to move forward. Now that I have been treated psychologically I feel much better. My PSA is down to 0.3 (this is about as low as it gets after radiation) and I am no longer worrying about my cancer growing. As far as I am concerned, I am cured - a survivor. 

      Best scenario for your dad is to get him to a place of peace and not worry, so he can live his life and be happy. 

      Tom

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 tom86211

      Posted

      His was a six as well.. I've had a chat with my dad he really wants to wait an see what his level at in 4 months I think it might be idea not sure.. I told him that we can meet with the doctor an then he can make his decisions. No one in are family has had prostate cancer or any kind of cancer.. Thank you so much for hearing me vent an your advise was so helpful. I feel so much better knowing that's not so serious..it was hard for me to ask so much questions I have a 2 year who was screaming an crying during my dad visit..
    • stewarta
      stewarta nicki0517

      Posted

      Nicki: It comes down to the Gleason score resulting from a prostate biopsy. If it was Gleason 6, Urologists usually recommend 'watch and wait'. That is, monitor PSA at whatever regularity is recommended. It is jumping the gun to suggest radiotherapy.

      If it is a GP giving you this advice, do get a referral to a urologist. If it is a urologist, get a second opinion from another urologist. When you hear the negatives about photon beam radiation and brachytherapy you and your Dad will wonder why you had this referral with a low Gleason Score.

      If the Gleason is (say) 3+5 = 8, then investigate Robot-assisted Laproscopic Prostatectomy BEFORE any talk of radiation therapy. By 2018, Proton Beam Therapy will be available in the UK (in EU now) and that might be an alternative. If the prostate is treated with radiation therapy and there are remnants such that PSA starts to rise, the alternatives are limited. If a Prostatectomy is carried out, and PSA starts to rise, it means the PCa has escaped. It still presents as prostate cancer even if there is no prostate. Then chemo and radiation therapy can be used.

      Never rely on information from people like me, no matter how well-intentioned and seemingly knowledgeable. Always go back to your medicos and use this info to ask more questions.

      I always tell them Dr Google informed me when I ask such questions. LOL

    • nicki0517
      nicki0517 stewarta

      Posted

      Yes it was a 6 he gave us paper an on the thing that I guess was a prostate lol had a 3+3.. I'm get a sitter for his next visit so that I can ask more questions. But the doctor did say its low risk..
    • tom86211
      tom86211 nicki0517

      Posted

      Nicki,

      I want to emphasize that 1 core with Gleason 3+3 is classified as very low risk - about as low as one can get. There is an ongoing discussion in the urology community about whether Gleason 6 tumors shoud even be called cancer. After four years of study on this issue I have learned that there is widespread agreement that Gleason 6 tumors do NOT spread - metastasize. This is absolutely not the time to rush into any form of treatment. This is a time to learn and talk to urologists who perform the various procedures. All current studies indicate that there is no difference in outcome (given the low risk classification) f your dad waits - possibly for years, before deciding on some form of treatment. He may decide to have no treatment at all, depending on how the next biopsy goes and his overall level of health. Some men live happily for many years with low or very low risk tumors. 

      Tom

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