The Hits Just Keep On Coming…
A few weeks ago, at my wife’s insistence, I had a physical performed. My blood results came back with a somewhat elevated PSA. It wasn’t super high, but it was out of range. I was referred to a urologist who performed another PSA test and the score went down — slightly and a physical exam where one side of my prostate was larger than the other. This led to an MRI. The MRI showed a lesion and given a PI-RADS score of 3-4 out of five. (Some characteristics of a 3 and some of a 4).
Now, there are a few positives:
1. The PI-RADS score of 3 is not good, but not as bad as a 4
2. The PSA score was “just out of range” 4.12, then 4.01
3. The lesion is contained and shows no spread and is located in an area in which cancer usually does not manifest (the transition zone)
4. I do not have a family history of prostate cancer. I took a biomarker urine test that doesn’t diagnose or predict cancer, but shows that I may have genetic markers for prostate cancer.
Anyway, I have a biopsy scheduled next month and a follow-up for the results 3 weeks after.
Just had a EXODX urine test come back as 31.45
I’m worrying myself sick with Dr. Google and I haven’t even had the biopsy!
53 year old male — very active (endurance runner, yoga, weightlifting)
Hi
. Your concerns are certainly understandable and, as you surmised, spending a lot of time with Dr. Google can really lead to information overload. First, I want to note that it seems like you are taking the right steps and doing what you can. I'm sure a big source of anxiety is that your tests keep coming back in the ambiguous zone. In fact, I want to share with you this article on the ExoDX test: https://www.urologytimes.com/view/the-role-of-the-exodx-prostate-test-in-early-detection-of-prostate-cancer. If you look at Figure 2 you will see that a score between 30 and 40 translates to about a 35% risk of Gleason 7 or higher. That still leaves a lot of room for an insignificant finding. We are not medical professionals and, for your safety, cannot provide medical advice, but prostate cancer tends to be slow growing and your doctors have let you know that tests find that, if there is something, it is early and contained. As a side note, did the doctors explain why it would be three weeks for the biopsy results? I ask because most medical sites note a few days to a week. Hoping things go well with the biopsy and please feel free to keep us posted and to ask additional questions. Best, Richard (Team Member) Not really sure, but they said that was the next available date.
