Could I have caught my Prostate Cancer 10 years earlier at the age of 41?
Young but showing symptoms of prostate cancer
In 2012 I saw my family doctor about the symptoms - I now know - that could've been related to my prostate health. After a quick DRE exam, he said my prostate seemed a little enlarged but there was nothing to be concerned about and it should settle on its own since I was only 41 years old at the time. Years passed and I totally forgot about it, and as time went by, I got used to dealing with the - somewhat - slow stream, a shy bladder, not thinking that it all could've been underlying signs and symptoms of something very serious that could affect my life bigly (-Trump :)) in the future. I lived my life without ever thinking about it, in fact, I totally forgot about that doctor's visit and all. Silly me!
For the next 7-8 years I had regular visits with my family doctor about some casual cold, flu, and pain here and there, but the issue of the prostate was never brought up, not even once. The pandemic came and I started seeing a walk-in clinic doctor next to our house for its convenience. I did not see my family doctor for almost two years. By then, I was over 50 years old and not knowing that I could be sent for a blood test for PSA level, and this is exactly what happened when I saw my PG for the first time in two years, in March 2021.
PSA test came back high and rising
My first PSA came at 10.2. My PG suggested that we should wait another two months and repeat the test again. Two months later it was 13.5, and then my PG referred me to a Urologist. I waited 3 months to see the urologist, in which by then my PSA was at 15.5. I was trying to keep calm for myself and my family, but inside I was freaking out and was very confused, not knowing how things will go.
When I asked my doctor about my visit and DRE in the year 2012, he scrolled some pages up and down on his computer but didn't find anything. He also said that he did not remember anything about it. Of course, I was only 41 years old at the time, and it probably didn't cross his mind that I could possibly have prostate cancer at that age. I now think that he should've sent me out for a PSA test. I regret not knowing at the time that I could've asked for it even.
Prostate cancer diagnosis
When I saw my Urologist in September 2021, he did another DRE and also confirmed my prostate was enlarged, but the good thing was that he didn't feel any lumps on my prostate, it was just enlarged with a smooth surface. The Urologist referred me for an MRI scan in VGH which took me nearly 5 long months to get the appointment. Knowing that this Cancer could've been living inside my body for nearly10 years, the 5 months of waiting for an MRI felt like living in hell. The MRI and two weeks after that the biopsy confirmed that I had Prostate Cancer with a Gleason score of 7 (3+4). Long story short, after going back and forth with some friends, family members, and my doctors, I decided to go for prostatectomy in July this year 2022.
Prostatectomy
Stayed 3 nights in St. Paul's, then went home with a catheter. The catheter was removed after 8 days and I started experiencing incontinence, but fortunately for me, the incontinence suddenly decreased significantly almost by 80%, just after 23 days of having gone through the prostatectomy. Just two more weeks after that and I was completely free of ongoing incontinence and leaks. It was just some small amount of leaks when I made sudden moves of getting up and such. I now don't have any symptoms of leaks or incontinence whatsoever. My other surgery side effects are also under control I can almost say that I'm 100%.
recovering from prostate cancer
Some of the not-so-good parts of my pathology report are the following:
-- "focal involvement of seminal vesicle", (the good thing that my seminal vesicle was removed during the surgery)
-- "extraprostatic invasion focally present"
-- "Perineural invasion present",
I've had two PSA tests done since the surgery and both are undetachable at 0.008. I'm hoping that my PSA level will remain undetectable for a long time, or even forever for as long as I will live.
I wish everyone a very healthy prostate. :)
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