I may have prostate cancer: My PSA went... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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I may have prostate cancer

xxxtoddxxx profile image
70 Replies

My PSA went from 6.3 to 7.2 in 2 months after going from 4.5 to 6.3 in a year. I've been using Tippen's protocol for a month of the two and PSA is still climbing it seems. Does it need more time than a month to see results? Anyone have good results? Is a bioposy in my near future?

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xxxtoddxxx
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70 Replies

You will only know after a biopsy.Prostate Cancer could care less about the Tippen Protocol.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

Doesn't the biopsy have a lot of side effects? Impotence, incontinence, etc?

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

No...and besides Prostate Cancer has the ultimate SE, Death

in reply to

My biopsy was painless, the Urologist should inject novacaine prior the taking the samples...

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

Not worried about the pain, I just don't want to end up wearing a diaper.

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

You are confusing a radical protectamy with a biopsy...totally different. Also, this site is for Advance Prostate Cancer. You should head over the the Prostate Cancer Network site...its suited for people in your situation.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

My mistake, sorry.

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Np...this site discusses advanced treatments for prostate cancer ...its not a good place for men not diagnosed yet..it'll scare the bejeebers out of you..😀

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

I'm already pretty scared.

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Seriously, don't be..I was literally diagnosed Gleason 9 2 years ago at 53...Had a Radical Prostectamy, put on hormone therapy and underwent 39 IMRT session between June 2019 and December 2019.

I'm 55 now, I play ice hockey 2X per week and workout 4-5 times a week...and I work Full Time.

Don't Google...you get only the worse case scenarios...plenty have very good outcomes.

Good Luck

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

Thank you, I appreciate you posting that.

Savoy profile image
Savoy in reply to

DON’T do any web searches...about ANYTHING medical. I was supposed to be dead three years ago from constipation, and here I am!

in reply to Savoy

Shit!! That's a tremendous outcome.

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

How old you please? Being scared is normal . It’s the not knowing that’s bad. So find out where you stand . The sooner the better. Us advanced guys wish that we hadn’t let I go as far as it did .

Savoy profile image
Savoy in reply to

Word to that

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

And thank you for the reply. I'm not against getting the biopsy so much as I want to know the risks and my options before agreeing to one.

Justfor_ profile image
Justfor_ in reply to xxxtoddxxx

With RUS biopsy the risk is infection that can lead to sepsis. If sepsis is not diagnosed and treated early it can lead to death. Such an incidents frequency is of the order of one part per some tens of thousands. Transperineal biopsy is less prone to infection, if you are given the choice prefer it.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to Justfor_

Thank you.

doc1947g profile image
doc1947g in reply to Justfor_

But the risk for infection is very low if done properly.He took 12 cores and 6 of them were G(4+3=7) Grade 3 which became Grade 4 after the pre-RT Scan.

The biopsies procedure was painless as he infiltrated the prostate with Lidocaine.

Du to my age 73 y.o. And many chronic health problems, the prostatectomy was not an option.

After over 2 years, my PSA is <0.01 mcg/L and I still have my prostate and no incontinence neither incompetence.

Do not forget: Urologist make money by removing the prostate while the RO with Radiothérapie.

Vince- profile image
Vince- in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Get a copy of Dr. Patrick Walsh's Surviving Prostate Cancer 4th edition. Solid information. I get more out of that book than I've ever gotten from my urology team.

treedown profile image
treedown in reply to Vince-

I read this book as well and it played an important role in my understanding of my disease and decision making at the time. I wish I had found this forum at that time as well but not so lucky. Though I am not sure I would have done anything differently in the end. Just make sure you get the newest edition which was 2018 when I read it in 2019.

MrG68 profile image
MrG68 in reply to

This isn’t quite accurate. A biopsy of the prostate can lead to some side effects. It all depends on the individual. First the biopsy extracts 12 samples from the prostate using special needles that target different areas. These can actually miss the cancer. So a negative result isn’t gospel. Still, it’s probably the best method we have at determining the type of cancer in how aggressive it is.Some people find this procedure extremely uncomfortable and painful. Others find it easy. There is a risk of bleeding after the procedure and there’s also risk of infection. Some people take longer to recover fully from it. There’s also those who believe that actually puncturing and ripping out parts of the prostate and into the cancer promotes the spreading of the cancer cells.

The issue really is that the PSA method of detection is really not good enough for this information. PSA testing doesn’t actually detect cancer in any way. It also doesn’t give information about the severity of the cancer. Some people with low PSA have cancer, others with high PSA have no cancer. Also there are other factors that affect PSA such as inflammation etc that can give you a raised PSA.

A biopsy will achieve what the PSA can’t, but it’s not 100%. Should you get a biopsy? Well that’s a decision for you and your MO. It will help you decide how you decide to deal with your cancer if you have it. Maybe you are lucky and don’t have it. But there are always significant risks with any medical procedure.

Justfor_ profile image
Justfor_

No biopsy now. A 3T multi parametric MRI first and you will take it from there depending on any findings. Far less invasive and if a biopsy will be the next step it will. be a guided one, also called fusion, instead of its blind counterpart. You also didn't mention your free PSA count. If you didn't have a free PSA test you may start from taking one.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to Justfor_

I was just reading about free PSA tests, I'll ask about that first. I have an appt on the 10th. Thank you.

cesces profile image
cesces in reply to xxxtoddxxx

You need either a biopsy or a 3T multi parametric MRI .

And you need it yesterday.

Time to stop dallying.

Get one or the other done right away!

GoNapoli profile image
GoNapoli in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Hi there, all I can tell you on behalf of my father is get the biopsy, the 3T MRI came back no malignant cancer, and a year later diagnosed stage IV prostate cancer with extensive bone metastasis. He was having PSA increases for last four years before that, and feared the biopsy. Then he ultimately had to get one anyway and it wasn't that bad he said, and now he wishes he would have done one when it was suggested years prior by docs instead of wait and see method. Good luck!

MNFarmBoy profile image
MNFarmBoy in reply to GoNapoli

In my case PSA was 14+ and a biopsy appeared practically inevitable. The urologist advised that a 3T MRI scan could be useful to show the areas of the prostate that were most likely to be cancerous, thus help decide which areas to target when performing the biopsy, thus improve the probability of accurately assessing Gleason Number. My understanding was that if the MRI had indicated highly-localized suspect areas, a 2-core transperineal biopsy might have been called for, but that was not the case, so a 14-core trans-rectal biopsy was done, targeting the suspect areas but also sampling areas throughout.

I had to pay for the MRI, because MRI before biopsy was not considered the "standard of care" by the insurance company, which I believe is typical, perhaps universal, in the U.S.A. Some might not considered the cost to be worthwhile for that, but I did.

tsim profile image
tsim in reply to MNFarmBoy

Insurance companies are starting to pay for these pre MRIs to determine PIRADS scores and it's about time! Especially valuable if you have chronic prostatitis.

Shotgun2322 profile image
Shotgun2322 in reply to Justfor_

I agree with doing a better biopsy. Get a 3T MRI and have them overlay it with the ultrasound during the biopsy so they can actually hit the right spots. I say this because I had a biopsy that was negative and spent a year in blissful ignorance while my cancer advanced. The regular biopsy is a shot in the dark. Bite the bullet and do it. The whole thing sounds worse than it actually is IMO.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx

I don't have problems peeing, but I get up a lot of times during the night.

Drphil1938 profile image
Drphil1938 in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Get the biopsy and request a mild anesthesia and the. You will know. Treatment only begins after a biopsy. You are it appears in a early stage, get with it and you may be early enough for a cure.

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

It’s called urgency to pee. I Had It for years prior to dx.

My advice to you is to1) Soak in some of the stories here.....and realize PCa is not something to screw around with

2) Head over to this site where you will find a good bunch of guys that can handle all the questions you may have at this stage in your travels healingwell.com/community/d...

Chugach profile image
Chugach

Don’t mess around with this shit it can kill you and leave you basically neutered- get a biopsy and cut it out if it is contained

leach234 profile image
leach234

Get a biopsy ASAP. The longer you wait the more it is growing and spreading. Very soon it will be metastatic!

leach234 profile image
leach234

Chances are you do have prostate cancer. If you dilly dally on getting a biopsy it may become stage 4!

Cooolone profile image
Cooolone

Well, there's a lot of information missing to provide a better outlook on what's going on. Age, family history, if there's any possible associated symptoms present as well like BPH or ED.

And know too there are non-invasive tests that can be done which may assist diagnosing if PCa is present. Like the liquid biopsy (blood test), etc. Then there's imaging, such as an MRI that can take a peek at what's there tissue wise. But ultimately, at some point, for helping make an accurate diagnosis, a tissue sample via biopsy will be warranted.

Fear... It is a manifestation of the mind! It does not exist otherwise. Stay with what is, and what is not, don't fear the unknown or create it based upon these manifestations of "what if"... It won't serve well to making decisions. There are well worn paths trodden by many a warrior, there are plenty of stories both good and bad to be read. But yours is and will be your own. Don't get caught up too much in what someone else has done, because it's relevance to your path may look similar, but yours is unique!

Check the NCCN webpage for Prostate Cancer, it'll walk you through the entire process from diagnosis to treatments. It is especially helpful for newbies or might be's!

Good Luck and Best Regards!

2dee profile image
2dee

I ignored PSA at 7.5.2yrs later in a lot of pain, PSA 1303 and fully metastasized throughout skeleton.

Stage 4. Incurable.

You my friend may be able to catch it early and treat to a cure. Find a Medical Oncologist to review your records and labs now.

2Dee

bud_manning profile image
bud_manning in reply to 2dee

I too am stage 4, mCRPC. 09-2020, ADT, Lupron, abiraterone no longer working. PSA is 7 and climbing. 04-02-2021, PSA is 69. MO seams clueless but he did script the off-label drugs after research I showed him. Also showed him where the drugs enhance the effectiveness of chemo. Started docetaxel 04-18-2021. I started my off-label drug and supplements in March. Here is the good news, 05-11- PSA 26, over half. And the severe bone mets pain (bone scan showed rt. half pelvis solid black) - pain gone. We can beat this. Also found out about methionine, a chemical in food, mostly meat and dairy and fish. Cancer loves it. We gotta go vegan. Yes, I know, the hardest thing for me. I have to keep asking myself "Do you want to live?" We can. People, stage 4, mCRPV are achieving full remission.

2dee profile image
2dee in reply to bud_manning

STRONGLY recommend you get second opinion from center for excellence Medical Oncologist.And/Or try TheSecondOpinion.org

You can get any view you want about diet and cancer.

It's one thing to "prevent" and much different to "treat"

Heart healthy likely works just fine.

2Dee

Ianrs profile image
Ianrs

The biopsy is uncomfortable but a necessary quick step if the DRE and a scan indicate any abnormality.

dhccpa profile image
dhccpa

Each persin reacts differently, but a month is a really short time. My PSA rose on my 3rd and 4th month then began to fall back. I hit a new low of 0.5 in April after 14 months. I've also been on Lupron since 11/2018. I started fenben in 2/2020.

rscic profile image
rscic

See a Urologist ASAP

JAK2243 profile image
JAK2243 in reply to rscic

Man up brother, it's your LIFE.

dadzone43 profile image
dadzone43

Find a support group. There are plenty around. In the group are a wide range of situations from men in active surveillance to men with terminal disease. They have plenty to teach and guide you. Malecare.org & USToo have lists of groups, as may your local or state cancer foundation. The antidotes for fear are information and the support of others.

EdBar profile image
EdBar

Don’t wait on getting a biopsy, if it is prostate cancer and you continue to delay a biopsy you can allow a very treatable cancer to become one that spreads outside the prostate and become metastatic. Metastatic prostate cancer is not curable. Put your fears aside (we’ve all been there) and get a biopsy done ASAP.

Ed

Jvaughan0 profile image
Jvaughan0

Biopsy in my case was no worst than a trip to the dentist. ...little discomfort and no side effects. ...one step at the time, or you will find yourself overwhelmed mentally.

Rsdutcher7 profile image
Rsdutcher7

If you’re into making lifestyle changes and keeping an eye on things then you’re on the right path health wise with or without prostate cancer! This particular site has mostly traditional methods...we’ve been non-traditional for 4.5 years with the BRCA2 beast at the door and my husband is doing WELL! Without all the chemo and drugs and surgery. But TONS of other stuff. It takes more than one method and sometimes 6 mos or even years to truly see results ! Go on FB “prostate cancer non-surgical” group for lots of information and support!

NecessarilySo profile image
NecessarilySo

The PSA doubling rate is too slow for prostate cancer. Just my opinion. BPH?

tsim profile image
tsim in reply to NecessarilySo

If you're in the 4-6 range maybe, but a fairly sudden jump to the 7s or 8s it's probably time.

Bangkok profile image
Bangkok

Just got back from Bangkok taking IMRT. They have been using the PSA doubling time for several years. The biopsy has an infection rate that is more troubling than they wish to deal with. PSMA pet scan is what they rely on.

Bradblue profile image
Bradblue

I was scared of the biopsy as well. I got a MRI guided biopsy. Was put under and done in less than a hour. No problems no pain no memory of the procedure. Just do it my friend and do it quickly so you know how to proceed.

jhrocket profile image
jhrocket

Don't get a biopsy...Get a T3 MRI.......Its more specific than a random biopsy. If the MRI turns up a problem your urologist will have you do a targeted biopsy.............using 2 or 3 needles.This is the most up to date way to go and get the best information!

Muffin2019 profile image
Muffin2019

Get it checked out, my GP did not do a DRE until I had urinary symptoms, PSA went from 7.5 to 156 in 3 months. He never did the DRE when it went from 2.5 to 5.4 then to 7.5 over the years. If he had done that and felt any bumps I would have had a scan and biopsy to check it out and not been in this position of stage 4. The biopsy does not hurt as they give you a local shot and on the probe then you take it easy for 24 hours, the only pain was near the end other than that it is just a full feeling, they want you to pee to check it for blood after, I had that problem but after a glass of water it worked. I had no lasting effect at all and no diaper.

fluffyfur profile image
fluffyfur

Don't be a dang noob and go get your biopsy. Seriously. A concerned wife.

jhrocket profile image
jhrocket

Friend the PSA is not worth the paper its written on. Join us in 2021. Your doctor should have run a free PSA. The higher the free PSA the lower the the probability that you have cancer. My PSA and a lot of men it all over the place. The larger your prostate the higher the PSA. Hard fact the PSA is a crummy diagnostic test. If you go and get a "random" biopsy you need your head examined. The random biopsy is invasive and can turn up "non significant cancers and miss the important stuff. People in the year 2021 get a 3t MRI. This test will only turn up significant cancers. If you have one that needs to be addressed they will do a "guided" biopsy , 2 to 3 needles vs 12 to 14 for a random biopsy. If you have an old time urologist still dependent on random biopsy get a new doctor or tell him what you want.No demand it!!!

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx

Thank you all for your inputs, I appreciate it. I have another appt next week. I'm going to push for the MRI.

Mascouche profile image
Mascouche

I do recommend having a biopsy but I want to let you know that in my case I was ejaculating blood for about a month. It is no big deal as it eventually stopped but I wanted you to share this with you so you do not freak out if the same was to happen to you. Don't delay or you might end up like the rest of us in this forum.

ck722 profile image
ck722

Get the biopsy. The outcome will be indicated in a number called a Gleason score. Then, and only then, will you truly know your status. The next step fully depends on the score. Do not wait. If you have cancer it could leak out and spread everywhere. Not good.

Any "therapies" you self-administer MUST be in conjunction with standardized medical therapies. They must also not interfere with any Rx the doctor prescribes.

The way it stands as of now, this "advanced" site may or may not be appropriate depending on the biopsy outcome.

Gargantuan studies across the span of many decades have resulted in proven highly effective therapies.

Dog pills, curried chicken and CBD will NOT cure prostate cancer. If it did NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE. The folks here are real active in arena of experimentation.

Some extracurricular "supplements" might be quite useful but that is a discussion for another time as it is possible you are cancer free.

This is one forum you want to be kicked out of!

bud_manning profile image
bud_manning

Yes you probably have prostate cancer. You need a biopsy, you need to know. The earlier the better. Educate your self. JTP comes up short against prostate cancer. Get a book, How to Starve Cancer, by Jane McLelland. Read the book. Fenben will kill cancer, but you have to starve the cancer to weaken it. Diet is important. There is a chemical in meat and dairy, methionine, that cancer thrives on. You have to restrict it in your diet, gotta go vegan. I have spent 2 years learning. I am stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, med science says I have maybe a year. I am taking fenben and metformin, atorvastatin, doxycycline, and a dozen supplements and numerous vitamins, and the low methionine diet, and chemo, docetaxel. Is it enough? do not know. When I started the drugs supps vitam and chemo my PSA was 69. One month later, 05-11, PSA was 26.

Get your google on. Look up disrupting cancer cell metabolism, off-label drugs to fight cancer, diet and fighting cancer, methionine and cancer. The rule is: You gotta do your own research. You can not believe me or anyone else on the web, but you can verify everything I an telling you from at least two other sources. Then you still get to be your own lab rat. May God bless you and guide you to the answers.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to bud_manning

How does a person get the drugs you are talking about? Your doc? Another source? Anyone can get fenben, but metaformin, doxy, etc, I don't know how to get.

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Confirm you have prostate cancer before you start throwing good money after bad with How to Starve Cancer nonsense...sure, go vegan if that's your thing...I'm plant based like mediterranean, but don't start down that rabbit hole until you know for sure.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

Understood, just looking at my options.

in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Did you make an appt with a urologist yet? If not, that's what you want to be doing. There is no such thing as planning for the future because 1. You don't even know if you have prostate cancer.

2. You don't know the Gleason Score and

3. If you do know 1 and 2 you still need scans to see if it spread

After you have this information, then you should review your options.

You are putting the cart before the horse.

xxxtoddxxx profile image
xxxtoddxxx in reply to

I did. I met with her two months ago, she had me do a follow up PSA test. In the two months the test went from 6.3 to 7.2. I have my next appt with her next week.

Chugach profile image
Chugach in reply to xxxtoddxxx

Todd - your going to get a lot of different options on this site. The road is different for everyone and there is no playbook. Start with a biopsy and then check back with us

bud_manning profile image
bud_manning in reply to xxxtoddxxx

These gentlemen replying to you have been there all of us. You need a good experienced urologist. You need a biopsy and diagnosis. Then, if you have prostate cancer, you need an integrative oncologist to give you your options, understanding with 'standard of care' there is no cure. In the mean time, start reading, researching, everything you can on PCa. Current med research is looking at attacking cancer from a metabolic standpoint. Places like Duke medical and Johns Hopkins. I have read hundreds of articles on PCa metabolism and what interrupts it, and what kills cancer and what lets it survive. I am convinced the only way to beat PCa is to block all energy supply metabolism, weaken the cancer, then hit it with everything known to kill cancer. That means: ADT (Lupron etc.)(ADT disrupts one metabolic supply line); off-label drugs and supplements are known to block glutamine, glucose, and fatty acid metabolism; restricting the amount of methionine in your diet restricts cancer to a vital nutrient (Joe Tippens may have beat his cancer with fenben because he had starved the cancer because he could not eat due to a radiation fried esophagus); blocking autophagy, keeping those nutrients from the cancer. There are o-l drugs known, proven to kill cancer (fenbendazole is the animal version of one); SOC, chemo and radiation kills cancer (docetaxel combined with the o-l drugs I am taking is is currently having a killing spree on my bone mets)The point is there is no simple answer. to defeat PCa will take everything. Educate your self. Know your options especially current SOC tests and treatments, but also unconventional treatments. Get a book, How to Starve Cancer by Jane McLelland, read it.

Getting the drugs? Depends on where you are. I am in USA, Oklahoma. With the research I had done I convinced my self and then my oncologist I knew what I was talking about. He agreed to script the meds. You need to do the above first. Do not take anything prescribed by your doctor, vet, brother in law, or me until you have educated yourself on what you are taking. God bless you and guide you.

ck722 profile image
ck722

Gleason score? And away we go....

33Ford profile image
33Ford

Here is my experience, my PSA went from 4.3 to 8.4 in a bit over a year. Not that big a deal, right? Had a DRE and a biopsy was recommended. It was almost totally painless, slight discomfort. Well, it came back a 9/10 in 11 of 12 samples! OK, then MRIs, CT scans, Bone scan, etc. Stage IV 1ma. So, if it was me, I would just at any chance for early testing!!!!!

ck722 profile image
ck722

I was asymptomatic but it turned out to be high grade cancer. It is impossible to know your status without a biopsy.

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