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Does PSA 7.2 always mean Cancer?

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Posted 6/4/2014 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Getting pretty nervous. Getting my biopsy the day after tomorrow. Just started taking Cipro again.

I have gotten a lot of support and advise here from people, who all had cancer. Looks like if they didn't have cancer they never came back to say so. Andrew said that most biopsies come back normal. I hope that is the case of course. I don't know anyone that ever had a prostate biopsy. I hope "In The Shop" is correct.
Posted 6/4/2014 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
Barry,
The answer is not always. I had 2 previous biopsies, 1 14 years ago my PSA was 9.1 and the biopsy was negative. The other one was 10 years ago with a PSA 7.6, it was negative.

2 years ago my PSA was 18.5 but I ran out of luck with that biopsy.

Hopefully, your biopsy will be negative. They do take more samples now than they did 10 years ago so if there is cancer, they tend to find it better by taking more core samples.

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 6/4/2014 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
Barrry,

You do know that you've come to possibly the worst place in the world to get reassuring answers to that question, don't you? Something like four out of five biopsies are negative. We're mostly fifth guys here. Those other four guys out of every five -- the ones whose biopsies were negative -- don't hang around here, nor should they.

Bill had two negative biopsies. I had three. Then we were both diagnosed. Talking to us about our experience will tend to give a false sense of the inevitability of a diagnosis.

Hopefully you will be outa here in a couple of days. If it turns out you get to join our club come back and tell me your hat size. I'm the one that orders the stupid-looking hats for the club.
Posted 6/5/2014 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Bill and Thanks again PeterDisAbelard (LOL at your screen name) It's not funny,,, well maybe a little.

Sorry you guys have been through it all, but you made a comeback. Thanks for the reassuring words on my 1st biopsy. If I'm lucky I'll just grab my chest and be gone. Cancer is brutal. I watched ALL my Grandparents and my Dad die from Cancer. My Dad wanted to live so bad he let them cut off his nose. He got a fake nose from someone that does stuff for movies. He made Dad a rubber nose that he glued on. He was on his way to his Doc and got in an accident. He jumped out of the car and told the other guy, darn it! You knocked my nose off. The accident was my Dad's fault, he was whacked on Pain meds. The guy he hit took him to his Doctor's appt.

It's rough enough just being a man without all this extra drama. Right at the time in our lives when things should start getting easier it just keeps on getting harder. No Pun intended Peter, sorry bro. It's not really disabled is it?

I'll let you know and words can't express how grateful I am. All I can say once again is Thank You.

Barry
Posted 6/5/2014 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
No...I have a friend that had a psa of 17 and no cancer....then I've seen guys with PSA less than 3 and cancer....psa is a not a great test, but it's the best we have...


Either way....let us know....either way, we'll be here for you...
Posted 6/5/2014 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
Barry, it's just a number and the absolute number doesn't mean anything. PSA is only tool to help your doctor figure out when it's time to recommend a biopsy or other tests.

Hang in there dude, you'll be fine.

Let us know what pathology report says. Don't panic until we say you can. :)

Andrew
Posted 6/5/2014 9:08 AM (GMT 0)
Normal biopsys will at some point have to be replaced with MRI guided biopsys to actually target the tumour area rather than random cores being taken.
I was part of a trial comparing both and only the guided cores proved positive, all 12 random cores were negative!

I don't see any comfort in negative biopsys if the ongoing PSA result is indicating issues.
Posted 6/5/2014 10:36 AM (GMT 0)
Barry,
When I returned to my Urologist to get the results of my first biopsy he told me I was the only one today with a negative one.. I was so relieved. He put me on antibiotics for a possible infection then checked my PSA later. When the PSA continued to rise he ordered the MRI biopsy but before he sent me, he told me he felt confident it was PCa. I was stunned he would suggest that before seeing results, but he was right and it was caught early.

Continue to be proactive in your health, wishing you all the best!
Posted 6/5/2014 1:03 PM (GMT 0)
PSA velocity is the important indicator, not just the number. If PSA is increasing and particularly if it's doubling in less than a year or so, it's an indication of a potential problem and should trigger a biopsy.
Bob
Posted 6/5/2014 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck, I would not wish this on anyone.

Hopefully after the biopsy result you can just go out with your family, relax, and celebrate.
Posted 6/14/2014 8:27 AM (GMT 0)
My husband's PSA was 11+ five years ago. 12 biopsies came out negative. Doctor and urologist told him he was born with large prostate (not enlarge). I was here five years ago and know how difficult to go thru all this. Good luck and please tell us good news. Even some bad news is the end end of the world. Most PC is a very slow grow cancer.
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