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Why are urologists dismissive about Decipher?

Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 49 minutes ago | Replies (29)

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@breadmaker

Two years ago my urologist/surgeon suggested the Decipher test after my 3rd biopsy. I hadn't heard about it at the time. It was covered by (Original) Medicare.

I wasn't high risk. 1st biopsy was one core 3+3, less then 5%. The 2nd biopsy found no cancer.

It's possible that some Medicare Advantage programs might deny you. If that's your case, you can always contest it. In general 80% of contested MA denials are eventually approved.

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Replies to "Two years ago my urologist/surgeon suggested the Decipher test after my 3rd biopsy. I hadn't heard..."

Thanks for your comment, @breadmaker . My biopsy was done in late January. My urologist in the regional hospital referred me to a Cancer Center medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. I was seen by both the MO and the RO in February but neither mentioned Decipher. When I chose SBRT in March, I asked the RO about Decipher. I now think that at that point, if the RO decided in favor of Decipher, it would have been difficult to obtain my two-month tissue samples from the regional hospital. Perhaps my urologist should have ordered Decipher as a soon as he got my pathology report Gleason 7 (3+4), positive on 8 of 14 cores. It was missed opportunity, I was advised to focus on choosing what treatment I like: open surgery, robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy, or SBRT. Two months passed by before I chose SBRT, that I completed on month 3 after my diagnosis. I hope this discussion will help newly-diagnosed members of this support group to ask about Decipher right away, or as soon as he is researching on the menu of treatment methods.