Do I have Cancer or Not?
Age 48
Age 47 First PSA was normal January 2024 at 2.48. June 2024 it rose to 3.44 and January 29th 2025 it is 3.58.
June 2024 MRI PIRADS 4 and PIRADS 3 lesions
July 2024 Biopsy - 11 cores benign prostate tissue with chronic inflammation and atrophy. Core F . ***There is a focal region of Atypical glands 0.2mm suspicious for Adenocarcinoma. These cells lack basal cell markers and AMACR amber staining is not definitive.*** I was placed on 6 month active surveillance as Ive already gone through two biopsies looking for cancer cells. Doctor cannot declare me cancer positive or cancer negative. The diagnostic uncertainty is frustrating. Anyone else have a similar experience? Ive been told the lack of basal cells in the Atypical glands is a definite concern.
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My PSA was 6 went for a Biopsy and it came back benign. Was placed on surveillance and it doubled to 12 in 6 months. Got put on supplements and retested 3 months later it was 11. They did a PSE and it came back Highly Likely for Prostate cancer. In 10 days I go for my second biopsy for cancer. They can't tell me one way or another, yet till after the second biopsy and genetic tests come back. So yup I'm in a similar situation. You aren't alone.
Pirads 4 is considered cancerous adjacent. But your Biopsies Haven’t shown anything. Are they doing an MRI guided biopsy so they hit the Pirads spots? Did they do an anal or perennial biopsy? You can get to more areas with the perennial.
The doctors don’t usually like to let a cancer patients go on AS Without a reason, Based on the information you’ve supplied, it doesn’t look like you’ve even had a Gleason score for your Adenocarcinoma, so were they unable to come up with a Gleason score? Even a 3+3 would tell you something.
As a layperson, based just on the info you provided I'd suggest that you're at elevated risk of developing prostate cancer, a bit like being pre-diabetic.
Per @jayhall, you might want to take the PSE test as it has a 94+% accuracy rate.. I would also think the more evidence you collect, the more definitively you can decide with your doctor what is happening and the more likely your insurance company may be willing to pay for something that you request.
@jayhall Did anyone suggest or did you have a 2nd and 3rd opinion of your biopsy results .?
My 1st Biopsy results were negative . My 2nd Gleason 3 + 3 = 6 in six cores ( out of 16 ) . A 2nd opinion Gleason 3 + 4 = 7 all 6 Cores . -- A 3rd opinion 4 Cores Gleason 6 , 2 Cores Gleason 3 + 4 = 7 . I have been on AS for over a year . I am considering Monotherapy SBRT as a future option .
Read Dr. Patrick Walsh's book " Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer " - It addresses a 2nd opinion on your biopsy pathology report .
Great advice and it sounds like a great book. Its just that I've already been through two biopsies and the last one gave me a sepsis scare that sent me to the ER at 3AM to get an IV load full of antibiotics. If I do rebiopsy I will never again allow a rectal one. Id go for trans perennial. All that risk, two biopsies and no conclusive findings. Some Urologists argue that a man my age should not be placed on 6 month AS with a PIRADS 4 finding or with A.S.A.P. cells, especially those that lack basal cell markers. I don't know what to do, I thought because I have no symptoms and my PSA only rose .14 on the last test that I probably have a slow growing easy to treat cancer that I can just remove the prostate for and it will be cured. Yet from some stories of other men with similar findings the cancer even the Gleason 7 ones manage to metastisize fairly early and end up showing PSA on bloodwork even after the prostate has been torn out. If I wait I run the very real risk of allowing any under sampled cancer to do just that. Not knowing if I have a ticking time bomb lurking inside me that can go off at any time is the hardest part. Id rather be told I have cancer so I can actually do something about it. Not knowing makes me powerless over the outcome.
11 Cores are benign Core F is what worries me. Atypical Small Acinar Proliferation, suspicious for adenocarcinoma. These glands lack basal cell markers which is a serious red flag.
Last MRI I had they used it in a guided biopsy to hit the RADs lesions. Only concern they found were A.S.A.P glands lacking basal cell markers suspicious for adenocarcinoma. They dont give Gleason scores for anyhting under 6 minimal cancer. My results are A.S.A.P inconclusive.