Posted 4/22/2015 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
It has been 2 months since my TRUS/COLOR biopsy at USC. I was sitting here patiently waiting for my mpMRI with ultrasound fusion biopsy at UCLA (in June) and my urologist from USC to ask how I am. How I am? Still not feeling great about my diagnosis but in the two months since I don't dwell on it quite so much and find that I don't think about it on occasion. I told my ex urologist that I was seeing another urologist at UCLA and he proceeded to tell me that they (USC) have more experienced surgeons and have had better surgical outcomes. I told him I was leaving my options open not just for surgery but AS and HDR but it made me think...is he trying to get me back because USC wants me to spend my money on their machine or does he really have my best interest at hand (he had been my urologist for 2 yrs). He said they can also do an mpMRI with ultrasound fusion biopsy and have one of the pioneers in this procedure in Dr. Ukimura and they could do it sooner than June.
I also asked him what may be the reason for the upgrade to 4 cores at UCLA meant and he said that was surprising and that when patients come to USC for 2nd opinions from UCLA they are usually downgraded. Told him that whoever does the mpMRI that I would request the slides be sent to Epstein.
Not certain what my next step is but I did check and USC has brought in a couple of surgeons from the Cleveland Clinic who have done thousands of RALP. My ex urologist now wants me to come in to further discuss my options. Wish it was easier making a decision on AS (what if it progresses, will I regret that decision), surgery or radiation (the SE's).
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Age 54 as of 2015
PSA 2009=2.9, 2010=2.8, 2011=3.2, 2012=3.1, Feb 2013=2.76, Mar 2014=3.12, Jul 2014 3.5, Jan 2015=3.46, several different Labs and Assays but labs from 2013 were all USC
Bx and Dx Feb 2015 = 1 of 12 cores all G6 (USC)
2nd opinion of slides at UCLA - 4 of 12 cores all G6