doctor visit and prolonged biopsy date
Hello, everyone,
My GP told me my lab results showed 11.9 psa. Did a second lab visit 3 weeks later and then showed 11.7. Referred straight to a urologist via phone consult. Urologist told me we're going straight to biopsy as digital and MRI would not be inconclusive. The urologist said there was a 30% chance I have prostate cancer. Then the kicker; the urologists MA called to schedule biopsy. Next available date was in 7 weeks.
So, my question, is waiting 7 weeks for a biopsy with a 11.7 psa the norm? I am concerned that things could progress in 7 weeks.
Also, would appreciate some feedback on the following; This whole prostate and psa thing came out of nowhere and is terrifying. How are you all managing with this super scary thing? Tips, suggestions etc. would be welcomed. Thank you.
- Others will chime in with article references to help educate yourself. I have the following questions. PSA by itself doesn't mean a whole lot. The rate of PSA increase is telling. Would you please post your PSA history with dates as that would be helpful?
While I wouldn't be bothered by the delay in biopsy, I am very bothered by some of the statements that your urologist makes. In the "hands" of an experienced urologist, there is a lot to be learned from a DRE. He is correct to say that MRI and DRE are inconclusive but you learn something from both that makes any PCA diagnosis more accurate. If you have PCA, but it is early, a blind biopsy may very well miss the tumor(s). If what you have happens to be aggressive PCA, actually catching it early has a large impact on whether you progress to metastatic disease or not. An MRI can identify regions of interest to explore with a biopsy in what is called a fusion biopsy that overlays the MRI imaging with the live ultrasound that will guide additional samples at those areas of interest in addition to the grid samples that are also taken.
My suggestion is to find another urologist and accept the delays that this would entail. There are no guarantees with any of this but old school plain blind biopsy is not taking advantage of the latest developments. Others will chime in to suggest a perineal biopsy and perhaps even live MRI guidance as the latest and greatest. You may find it hard to find urologists who do this and in a timeline that isn't greatly expanded. Others will chime in on this with links to help with your education.
Bottom line, as with all healthcare, the best advocate for your health will always be you. Educate yourself here, and via reputable medical websites. I am not a physician and most people here are not as well. Validate thoughts and things you learn with a physician you trust. Everyone here learns from each other and I hope you pull up a chair, break out the popcorn and engage us with your experience.Thank you for your detailed response. My PSA history is very brief as in first one was late October of this year (11.9) then 3 weeks later (11.7) with the latter abstaining from any activity prior to blood draw that could mess up the results.
- I should add that PCA is slow so, in general, waiting 7 weeks is not long. My journey started about 2 years before my eventually having a prostatectomy while monitoring a slowly increasing PSA from about 2 to about 7 when I finally had my fusion biopsy in February 2025. I didn't have my surgery until June 2025. Most folks tend to spend a lot of time in deciding upon the many treatment options all of which have consequences beyond simply treating the cancer.
