PC related to TURP

[Teufelshunde]

I had a good friend, 72 yo, that had TURP recently and the tissue showed something like a 1% cancer content (he was not very technical in exactly what it was). His PSA is and has been in the 2 range, yet his doc wants to do a prostate biopsy. Normally a person with a PSA of 2 would not have an invasive biopsy. Is that over kill? Is there a link between needing TURP and PC? Like my good friend and Urologist told me, every male will get PC, the only question is whether something else kills you first. Are there MRI equivalents of a needle biopsy? Thanks

[GeoffNoLongerAS]

Was the word cancer used by his doctor? Knowing what exactly was stated is important.

If it is cancer then further investigation is warranted. Along with the finding of cancer there should have been a Gleason grade of the cancer. The Gleason number is important.

An MRI is not a substitute for an eye on diagnosis. An MRI is usually (and should be) done in conjunction with a biopsy. The MRI is used to identify suspicious areas that are most likely to be cancerous. The biopsy is then used to confirm, or not, whether the area in question is cancerous. If cancer is found, then a Gleason grade along with volume would be stated.

One other thing for your friend to pursue would be to have the biopsy slides read by another pathologist.

[Teufelshunde in reply to GeoffNoLongerAS]

Yes, confirming what he was told. Thanks.

[Tall_Allen]

There is a T stage (T1a) for a small amount of prostate cancer found during a TURP procedure. It suggests that there is more cancer in the peripheral zone of his prostate and is a definite indication for a biopsy.

An mpMRI may be able to locate higher concentrations of what may be cancer within the prostate. If suspicious areas are found, more cores should be taken from those areas. If not, a double sextant (12 cores) biopsy is standard.

[Teufelshunde in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks. I will definitely encourage him to have that done.

[fast_eddie]

I had TURP surgery and no cancer detected. Ten years later an abnormal DRE finding got me sent to a urologist for a biopsy. Gleason 8. My PSA, which the urologist had to order since my GP refused, was only 2.7 at the time (I was age 66). So a PSA of 'only' 2 is no cause for celebration. Did your buddy also have an abnormal DRE result?