Prostate Cancer - To Biopsy or not biopsy! ( or MRI scan)

anon87147852 · 19 May 2019 10:26

Hi Les and welcome to SF!

Sorry to hear about your prostate cancer but whatever happens you’re not alone - neither virtually or, most importantly, at home! You may have read a discussion I instigated a while back after being diagnosed and subsequently operated on myself at 53 years old ( Gleason 3+4 / PSA 7.1)

Here’s the link:

Prostate Cancer - Ignoring It Won't Beat It Health Care & Carte Vitale

In January this year, at the age of 53 the last thing I expected was to be diagnosed with prostate cancer - I’d thought it was reserved for ‘old-gits’…although I guess that puts me firmly in that category! Thank goodness for my excellent GP here in France who decided to add a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test to my annual full bloods when I turned 50. Had he not done that one simple thing (or had I still been in the UK?), I doubt I would even know today that I had prostate cancer. Apparently prostate cancer is affecting more and more guys in their 40’s and 50’s so I’ve made it a bit of a mission to shout about it which, to my surprise, has often resulted in ‘tumbleweed’ moments. Generally folks are not comfortable talking about prostate cancer - certainly not to the same extent they are talking about say, breast cancer. In France, prostate cancer is the most prevalent of all male cancers. Last year 53,465 new cases of prostate cancer were recorded and 48,763 new cases…

I’m afraid I don’t have any words of wisdom to share about mpMRI but I’m seeing my lead surgeon in a couple of weeks do will quiz him and revert - I had my first mpMRI back in Feb 2016. I’m really lucky being near Toulouse which has amazing cancer facilities - Oncopole / Cancer pole etc.

I agree, Prostate Cancer UK is an amazing organisation as is Anamacap in France - both provide loads of info and support.

Treatment paths and decisions are very personal choices and shouldn’t be rushed if at all possible.

Anyway welcome to the Prostate Cancer club - growing membership can only mean more support!

Reminder boys - PSA blood tests take a couple of minutes, results are normally same day in France, they save lives. At age 53 I never had any symptoms, issues or problems - a random annual blood test was the first indication I ‘may’ have had a problem.