New Member coming

Hey gang. It's been a while I know but....my oldest and longest friend will be joining this group as early as tonight. His PSA had been hanging around the 4 mark for some time. It then went to 5.7 and 90 days later jumped to 9.2. He called me today to ask some questions and of course I referred him to this group.
His screen name will be Derfwood if that is available.
Please help him all you can.



Thanks....Slink

Welcome Derf. I'd recommend starting your own thread, but it's up to you. Putting your location in your profile, as well as your 'stats' over time in your signature would be beneficial, too. Enlarged prostate? Infections ruled out? PSA just means something is elevating it, not necessarily cancer. Family history (though not definitive)? How old are you?

Many here have gone the route of biopsies, and more biopsies, and MRI-guided biopsies until the PC was eventually found--or not. If your insurance will pay for it first, I'd highly recommend a 3T-MPMRI first and a guided biopsy, but I've also heard some won't cover it until you've had a prior negative blind biopsy, which unfortunately, misses the cancer often enough. But don't rush yourself, IMO. You also have the option of a saturation biopsy, with way more needles, especially useful if your insurance balks at the guided type, but as my doc said, "Don't worry about it. You'll be asleep."

i changed docs. Not that the saturation biopsy scared me, but because he didn't
offer up the MRI first. It was the first thing my doc at Hopkins suggested.

Good luck!

Hey Redwing, you might be the closest to him that I know of. He is in west upstate Indiana.

Derf, as others have said, if you can get insurance to cover a 3T MPMRI guided biopsy (or if you can pay manage to out of pocket if insurance won't step up), it would be way better than a bond biopsy.
5.7 to 9.2 in 90 days is a big enough jump in such a short time, that I would not be surprised if you have a prostate infection, rather than cancer. Let's hope that's it
Oh, and welcome to HW. A great place. But we all hope you are only here for a temporary visit!

I really don't see the need for MR targeting on a first biopsy. More importantly, neither does NCCN. Keep in mind that 2/3 biopsies are negative. MR guidance is great if suspicion remains after a first negative biopsy, or if one has already had a positive biopsy and then one opts for active surveillance. Save the big guns for when you need them.

The jump from 5.7 to 9 that quickly is suspicious for prostatitis. You may want to rule that out before leaping into a biopsy.

If you decide on a biopsy, take precautions against infection. Resistant bacteria are becoming increasingly prevalent.

- Allen

Awe C'mon man.