PSA tests

I am beginnig to thank my lucky stars at the modest age of 71 ... but I do feel that the problems of the older male tend to be disregarded by the medical profession ...

Thanks for the good wishes, they are much appreciated. As always it is good to be able to talk about concerns on here.

I'm just home, having left DH in good spirits. All going well he will be discharged tomorrow but I don't know as yet how long we will have to wait for the results.

Best wishes for your DH NotTooOld.

Thank you, KatyK. Very glad all worked out well for your DH.

baubles - all the best to you and your DH and thank you for your good wishes.

We've had a similar experience to KatyK.
My DH went to the doctor's after finding some blood in his wee. We have nothing but praise for the NHS. Yes it was a dreadful year. His PSA was initially over 100 and at 62yrs he was 'young' to get prostate cancer. It wasn't going to be a case of leaving it. Unfortunately it had spread outside the prostate to a node in his pelvis, but with hormone therapy and radiotherapy his PSA levels are down to 0.1 and have been for two years now. It can't be cured because of the spread but is being contained and we are more than happy when we think of how it could have turned out. He has PSA tests and Hormone injections every six months and the doctor doesn't want to see him for a year now. The hormone therapy isn't to be taken lightly but we both feel it has been worth it.
This is the second cancer that he has had since we took early retirement -both unconnected. I know there are issues with the NHS, but they have been wonderful with us. We've had awful times, waiting for results so I really feel for you baubles and hope that things work out positively.
His brother was persuaded to go for a test and he was diagnosed with early prostate cancer which is being successfully treated.
It's a cliche but cancer is a word and not a sentence these days. Our motto is 'We're OK until we're not OK'. We're off on a 'Big Trip' to America in a few weeks and intending having a splash for his 65th, because as he says - 'We're still here!'
Best wishes to all wives and partners out there

I read a very interesting article about prostate cancer in this weekend's Times. It said that MRI scan was much more accurate as a diagnosis and the Prof writing the article said he would insist on one if he had concerns. I have a particular interest in this as I lost my dear BIL with this dreadful disease at age 62. Much too young.

hespian, that's interesting about the MRI scan being more accurate. Do you mean it is more accurate than the PSA test or more accurate than a biopsy?

Rosie you have both had a horrible time. I wish your DH continued good health. It's a nightmare isn't it? Nottooold my DH had a biopsy, an MRI scan, a pelvic scan and a bone scan. His treatment throughout was fantastic.

It said more accurate than biopsy following the PSA. It said the biopsy is actually quite a random thing. I will try to find the article online for you.

Sorry. No good at the link but if you go to Sunday Times and search Prostate cancer it comes up immediately. Chris Smyth 6th April.

My DH went through the same processes as your's, KatyK. They found the spread in the pelvic scan but hearing the news that it hadn't spread to his bones, balanced the fear. You are right in that it is a nightmare but there isn't an alternative is there? Facing it full on is the only way that I can cope with it. DH had an MRI scan when he was being diagnosed with throat and neck cancer and that really freaked him out as he had to wear this awful mask and he's quite claustrophobic. He said the MRI scan for the prostate was a doddle in comparison.
I hope good health follows you both as well.

Oh dear Rosie what a time you've had, far worse than us. No, there is no alternative but to face it head on. I never thought in a million years I would react the way I did when someone told us DH had cancer. I thought I would go to pieces but something clicked in and I didn't. We were numb but then just got on with it. We kept it to ourselves for months as we didn't want to tell the family until we had to, we should have got an Oscar because nobody guessed Fortunately prostate cancer is relatively easy to deal with if caught early. We have been lucky although last year we felt anything but. Good luck to you and your DH and anyone else struggling with this.

Thank you, hespian. I think it means that the biopsy is only a random sample, so even if it comes back 'clear' the rest of the prostate may not be so. There was a prog on TV some time ago about another test they could do which looked at the whole of the prostate and so gave more accurate results. An MRI scan sounds a much better option, though, and less painful.