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How did you find out you had cancer (other than yearly checkup)

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Posted 2/18/2016 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Notice one common thread: PSA!

Mel
Posted 2/19/2016 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Family history of aggressive PCa.

At age 44, 2000 had yearly PSA counts started. Age 50, 2006, based on a DNA report for having the PCa gene I started having (6) month PSA counts. Then in 2015, age 59, a slight PSA rise (.5) in a (6) month period caused my uro to take a biopsy. I know a .5 is nothing in the scope of rising PSA's, but, my uro was determined to catch this thing Day one, Stage one.

Man, did he ever earn his pay, caught that silent intruder at the front door.
___________________________________________________________________________________
OCTOBER 2015
Age: 59
PSA: 3.0 elevated to 3.5 in (6) months
3T-MRI: (1) lesion identified
Fusion Biopsy Results: Lesion cores benign, additional (12) cores = (1)<5%
Pathology Summary: Grade Group 1 (GS6:3+3), 2nd pathology verification
Clinical Stage: T1c

Genetic DNA Profile: Above average risk for Aggressive PC (deCode Genetics)
Existing Cancer DNA Profile: DNA risk unknown (Oncotype DX test cannot be performed, <1mm)
High Grade Biological Score: 27% aggressive risk (Mi-Prostate Score)
Other Health Conditions: Diabetes Type II (DX 2000), on meds & insulin

PCa Treatment: "Active Surveillance"
Risk: Undetected Cancer Progression
Risk Likelihood: LOW

My Story: https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=3528051
Posted 2/20/2016 8:10 AM (GMT 0)
I've posted Gary's story before, but here it is again: Gary was having trouble urinating, so GP did DRE. Said it was a little "off" and he'd keep an eye on it. Attributed his issue to his herniated disc in lower back. His symptoms increased. Fast forward to 3 yrs later Gary was having numbness in foot, pain in upper back, vomiting, loss of weight, and still his Dr dismissed it as back issue. He was a walking skeleton! His pain got so bad we went to ER one night. I was finally able to get a referral to a gastroenterologist when his GP was on vacation. When an endoscopy turned up nothing, the gastro ordered a PSA. It was almost 2000!
Straight to oncologist and immediately began HT. Shortly thereafter his GP dropped him as his patient! mad
Posted 2/20/2016 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mean to get off topic because I think this is such a great thread, but I have to vent for a minute.

Life, Gary's GP was (and is) such an A**HOLE!

I needed to get that off my chest...

Also after my diagnosis I told my 3 brothers to get their psa since I was the first in our family. My oldest brother; 61, asked his GP to include it in his yearly bloodtest and he refused. He had given him a DRE about 6 years prior and thought that was enough. He told my brother that he would die of a heart attack before he would ever die of prostate cancer so the test is a waste of time. A**HOLE!


Sorry; again, to get off topic...great topic. Very interesting to see how many of the HW members were diagnosed..
Posted 2/20/2016 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
Pain in abdomen led to ER visit. Diagnosed as kidney stone and referred to urologist. Uro insisted on doing PSA test and I went along. Came back at 21.5 and that started my slide into the murky waters of prostate cancer treatment. Sometimes wish I had passed on the test. I feel like the treatment was akin to kicking a sleeping skunk. Or as a friend used to say "don't start no **** and their won't be no ****".
Posted 2/20/2016 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
Increase in PSA year over year during regular physical.
Posted 2/20/2016 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hadn't seen a PCP for 20 years. Went in because I was having to pee a lot. I assumed it was BPH. She wanted a DRE and PSA but I declined, citing the infamous government panel's recommendation against PC screening. She gave me a script but it didn't work. Went back two years later when I was peeing 5x per night. This time she insisted on a DRE/PSA.

Thanks Government Panel, for costing me two years of crucial treatment time!
Posted 2/22/2016 7:34 PM (GMT 0)

celebrate life said...
I've posted Gary's story before, but here it is again: Gary was having trouble urinating, so GP did DRE. Said it was a little "off" and he'd keep an eye on it. Attributed his issue to his herniated disc in lower back. His symptoms increased. Fast forward to 3 yrs later Gary was having numbness in foot, pain in upper back, vomiting, loss of weight, and still his Dr dismissed it as back issue. He was a walking skeleton! His pain got so bad we went to ER one night. I was finally able to get a referral to a gastroenterologist when his GP was on vacation. When an endoscopy turned up nothing, the gastro ordered a PSA. It was almost 2000!
Straight to oncologist and immediately began HT. Shortly thereafter his GP dropped him as his patient! mad

Your GP is an idiot.

Tom
Posted 2/23/2016 10:43 AM (GMT 0)
12/13 started getting signs of enlarged prostate
3/14 had blood in urine, no blockage but was dark enough to get me to doctor
treated for UT next month blood returned, went to PCP with full physical and Dig exam, prostate was hard, referred me to urologist. Urologist did a scope exam (not fun) saw blockage recommended a TURP, also scheduled me for a biopsy.
Biopsy results were conclusive, 12/12 positive for cancer, 4+4 Gleason, suspected it had grown beyond prostate but scans showed no spread yet.
After TURP, examination of tissue removed raised gleason to a 9. and entered me into the gravy train of my new life, Radiation therapy. Lupron had started day of biopsy results. 10 weeks of radiation, 3 months of recovery, 1st PSA was a 2.6, lowest it ever got.
started chemo 6/15 finished sixth infusion 12/15, started Xtandi 2/6.

Now just trying to figure out what to expect next.
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