Connect
← Return to Recommendation for second opinion on prostate MRI scan?
Discussion
Recommendation for second opinion on prostate MRI scan?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Nov 21 2:25pm | Replies (58)Comment receiving replies
Is a Decipher Test the standard of care? Do some people move forward without having this done?
My husband just got an MRI done (no probe put in and I"m not sure if there was a barieum contrast) and he got a rating of "5". The doctor who read the MRI said the next step is to have a biopsy. We are waiting to talk with the MD who will do the biopsy (Kaiser, Santa Clara CA).
Replies to "Is a Decipher Test the standard of care? Do some people move forward without having this..."
Connect
@jj2002
The medical establishment especially urologist and R/O would be a better source of asking if Decipher test was standard of care. You can do research on it
I do know that it was mentioned to me after I had consultation at R/O (Mayo Jacksonville). I really did not want to take hormones as part of my treatments and they said "we can do a Decipher test." At the time I did not know about Dechipher test (nor MCC) and they explained would help determined aggressiveness of disease.
So I had it and it came back less aggressive than the biopsies. It is hard to explain but biopsies require the pathologist to determine the rating of the cancer by comparing your normal cells with cancer cells thus can be subjective. A Decipher test is objective genetic test and mine came back less aggresive that the reading from biopsies. Thus I was advised would not need hormone treatments just radiation.
So I am a very supportive of Decipher test along with other tests like PSMA, and bone scans. I think (but it must be a personal decision) you should get as many proven diagnostic test that can help with determining the best and appropriate treatment for you specifically.
You asked about do some people move forward without having it done. Yes! If you read posts on MCC you will see many did not have Decipher test nor was it offered. What I think is a fallacy that Decipher requires more biopsies. It does not require more biopsies. They (your provider who did biopsies) sends the biopsies to Decipher. Decipher contacted me directly about costs if my insurance did not pay for the test offering a lower charge and a plan to pay on monthly basis. Medicare did pay.
I wish I had more knowledge about your comment on doing a MRI without a probe. My Mayo urologist ordered the probe and contrast. It (probe) is not the most comfortable thing but helps the R/O and urologist read the MRI test results. So again whomever is having the tests should know about options and make a decision on what is best for them. Best thing to do is ask questions.
I am also a big supporter of second opinons. This is cancer and something you are fighting so the most information you can get the better. I hope I answered your questions you had for me. If I did not feel free to asked. It is the reason MCC is here.