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TURP and cancer

Posted , 8 users are following.

antonio007
antonio007

I've been having recurrent urine infection from 2008. Being under urology clinic treatments and investigation and was diagnosed with enlarged prostate. After 3 weeks of having a TURP I was told I had a mild prostate cancer. The doctor referred me for another biopsy to see if the Timor is still in my prostate and what has been affected so far. My question is what other ways to find out this without a biopsy. And if I have the biopsy is it ok another procedure after a month ? I don't want to get some damaged nerve which would leave me with incontinence at a young age. I am 54. Thanks

1 like, 18 replies

18 Replies

  • K2K
    K2K antonio007

    Posted

    Hi Antonio...I can't answer any of your questions as I haven't had any of your procedures..

    All the best for the future and the diagnose.

  • MK51151
    MK51151 antonio007

    Posted

    Antonio,

    i had same thing in 2016. Had TURP in June and was diagnosed with prostate Ca Gleson 6. Two and a half months later in mid August, I had TRUS guided prostate biopsy which confirmed Ca but with higher Gleason 7 (4+3). TURP badly messes your prostate so if you need treatment for prostate Ca later, basically your only choice is radical prostatectomy. Brachytherapy is excluded because of prostate that is cored out and very asymmetrical. I see you are young guy and I am sure you know how bad is RP for younger guys with those terrible SE like incontinece, ED which very few get recovered from, penis shortening, ejaculating urine at orgasm, loss of quality of orgasam or complete inability to have one. All the worst possible SE are accompaning RP. Keep that in mind. If possible the best option for Ca after TURP would be active surveillance.

    I had my RP 15+ months ago and just now experienced first sign of life in my penis. It is still in come with Just slightest sign of life which happened few days ago. And penile rehabilitation after prostate Ca is extremely expensive with no help from Insurance to cover medications, VED, injections, needless etc.

    i can go on and on about my experience but don’t want to scare you. Feel free to ask any questions you have. I am 53 now.

    Biopsy is only way to confirm prostate Ca, it is uncomfortable but tolerable and pain is not to bad 4/5 on scale of 10.

    MK

    • antonio007
      antonio007 MK51151

      Posted

      Hi MK51151. Thank you for answering most of my questions and for sharing about your own personal experience. I am aware of all the risks and side effects and how they could ruin a man's life especially at a young age as us. My wife has been researching about this and she was adviced by a German urologist to avoid having a biopsy yet as the prostate is a very delicate organ and as the cancer in there grows slowly he said to her to have this MRI you said as well and wait until I have given time to my prostate fully recover. The thing is I am scare of getting a sepsy or some damage in my nerves as last biopsy did deteriorated my sexual life leaving me with erectile dysfunctions. Therefore, I am not keen on biopsy although I know it is the only way to make sure how much cancer I've got and where exactly. Thanks a lot. I hope you continue to improve and that your penis therapies also help you. All the best pal.

  • rich22
    rich22 antonio007

    Posted

    get 3T mpMRI scans immediately. get expert radiologist to read the scans.

    just my opinion, MRI will someday replace biopsy.  

    • antonio007
      antonio007 rich22

      Posted

      Hi Rich 22. I definitely agree with you. Unfortunately that moment has come yet and we still need those invasive biopsies. All the best. Thank you for your answer
  • Supertractorman
    Supertractorman antonio007

    Posted

    In my case the 3T MRI scan was not good enough to define the small cancer and had to have a second Biopsy which gave me Sepsis. Also had a TURP with Incontinence 2 years ago which is now back to normal, but E/D is still not rectified. Continually having urine infections and also have Prostatitis. 5 years down the line I need another TURP as it has grown back and another Biopsy and I have refused both. Am now having a Radical Prostatectomy to get rid of my problems plus the Cancer hiding in the depths.  Please make your mind up as to what you do as you can be forced down certain routes by Drs own beliefs.  Good luck.
    • antonio007
      antonio007 Supertractorman

      Posted

      Hi Supertactorman. I am really sorry all that you have gone through. It sounds really horrible but it seems you're a warrior. Can I ask you when did you have the biopsy after the TURP or before and how long after having one procedure you had the other one? What type of biopsy did you have that caused you sepsy? I've been reading and it seems there are different types of biopsies which some are less risky to get infection than others. All the best and hope you can go back to your normal life after all you've been through. Keep being positive. Thank you

    • Supertractorman
      Supertractorman antonio007

      Posted

      Hi Antonio, I had 2 Biopsies, 3 years apart the first done with local anaesthetic but very painful due to Haemmoroids I had, so had a general Anaesthetic the next time. With the local you are given Antibiotics to take before and after. With a general you are meant to be given them while you are under, but next morning I had Sepsis, so whether or not I received them i will not know. Both biopsies were done by rear passage which seems to be standard NHS here. After Sepsis I had continuing urine infections and Prostatitis and my Prostate swelled so that I could not pass water so had to have a TURP. Now 2 years on they want to do another Biopsy and I have refused as will not risk Sepsis risk again, also want to do another TURP as it has grown back and I have refused also as not prepared to be incontinent again after that. Still have E/D and so agreed for full removal of Prostate to get rid of infections, no more blocking of water and need for Catheters and no risk of future Sepsis also Cancer removed although not growing. Worst thing I think will be Circumcision to rid infection below my foreskin. The only battle now is I am also waiting for a new knee and medics arguing over what to do first. Should be as fit as a fiddle after this full service.  Keep taking the tablets !!.

      David

  • Pepasan
    Pepasan antonio007

    Posted

    I've had two biopsies without consequence. Nerve damage isn't a complication as far as I know (unlike prostatectomy where it is possible). Biopsies can be life-saving as it is so important to know if, what and where the cancer might be. I wouldn't hesitate to have more biopsies if they were recommended!

    • antonio007
      antonio007 Pepasan

      Posted

      Hi Or pass. Thank you for answering my questions. I know biopsies can save lives but also can ruin a man's life if something goes wrong. My concern is because I had one in 2011 and did not show anything and it deteriorated my sexual life a lot. Now after having this TURP only a month ago I am not sure if I am willing to have another biopsy so soon as my wife's friend who is an especialist said to her to wait for at least three month and at the meantime to have this MRI you mentioned. The thing I am not sure if the NHS covers this sort of invesrigations. Could you please tell me if you had a TURP before or after the two biopsies and if you don't have erectile problems or urine leakings. Thanks a lot. All the best

  • rich22
    rich22 antonio007

    Posted

    let me clarify: you should get the 3T mpMRI scan BEFORE the biopsy, to locate most probable cancer areas where the biopsy punctures will have a better shot at finding PCa. but until technology advances, you must have that biopsy.  
    • MK51151
      MK51151 rich22

      Posted

      Just wondering how many people get 3T MRI before prostate biopsy?

      My understandings are Insurance won’t cover it before you have your initial biopsy.

      Is everybody paying for MRI out of pocket?

    • rich22
      rich22 MK51151

      Posted

      MRI is much more precise than UltraSound. Fusion biopsy uses both: still-life MRIs with live-action US overlays. Not bad, gives the guy holding the needle a pretty good idea where to stick it. But live action ("in bore"wink MRI-guided screens give the clearest picture available so far. I've read a few accounts by PCa patients in different blogs that BCBS can be persuaded by doctor-insistence to cover in bore, but i have Aetna and will see how it works out. there are very few drs that have the equipment and expertise in america. i'm using Dr. Sperling in Del Ray Beach, FL, out of pocket, $2,500.  I believe there's another dr. in tennessee, cheaper, just as competent. my original 3T mpMRI scans were fully covered. 

  • Koala5868
    Koala5868 antonio007

    Posted

    Hello antonio 00 7,

    I'm afraid to tell you that a biopsy is your only option. MRI and other bodily scans don't detect cancerous cells adequately. In the case of MRIs, they measure blood flow in your system. So the cancerous regions are hard to distinguish. Thereby creating a possible misdiagnosis.

    Hope this helps with your decision making?

    Kind Regards,

    KOALA

    • rich22
      rich22 Koala5868

      Posted

      3T mpMRI scans must give a lot more info than blood flow. my MRI report contains indication of malignant neoplasm, PIRAD score, T2 score, Diff/ADC score, size of lesions, Perfusion score, notes enlarged iliac lymph nodes.... all that is based only one blood flow? and there's more, stuff i haven't looked up yet. my PSA is 16.6, up from 12.3, Nov. 2016 - from new data coming in about biopsy needle seeding, cases of sepsis, regardless of the antibiotics used... i'm back to square one on whether i want a biopsy. i feel freakin great! no pain, i exercise at least 4-5 times/week, can still climax without any help of devices, pills, etc... no incontinence, if i do kegel exercises and don't ignore the urge as i could when younger (i'm 71). one wrong move, like a biopsy gone wrong, and all that could disappear in a heartbeat. 

      i'm sorry to say that there are too damn many doctors that blow smoke up our butts... literally!! no offense, but there are ALWAYS more than one option.

    • Pepasan
      Pepasan rich22

      Posted

      As this is Antonio00's thread, may I remind you that your situation at age 71 is rather different. If it turned out that Antonio00 has a virulent cancer at age 54 that had not been detected due to lack of biopsy, that cancer could potentially kill him.

    • rich22
      rich22 Pepasan

      Posted

      Pepa, thnx for the reminder. and you're spot on, about the risk of NOT having a biopsy. 

      i recently posted in another blog, that balancing risks of different treatments is a b***h. "risk assessment" is almost ALL doctors go by... because they just have no way of giving you 100% certainty in ANY treatment. understandable, given the complexity of the human body and the fact cancer is the real-world equivalent of sci-fi shape-shifters, mutating so astoundingly fast that those studying it can't keep up; even when they do, the medical science community still has to verify findings in one study, compare it with others, then deal with the ACS, the FDA, CDC, etc etc. it's all pretty daunting. gotta just push on with our own research, hope we find doctors that can work with us (i have a hematologist in PA who told me, "consult dr. google about revlimid", a chemo for blood cancer, which i also have).

      good luck, my friend.

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