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Why are urologists dismissive about Decipher?

Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Sep 13 12:48pm | Replies (60)

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Profile picture for rlpostrp @rlpostrp

I noticed the same thing. I first learned of the Decipher test a good month "after" my DaVinci Robotic-assisted RP. I posted a few things here, and nearly everyone asked: "What is your Decipher Test score?" I had no clue what they were talking about, so I researched it. I contacted my urologist asking whey he didn't order it? His first reply was that he tried, but that my insurance wouldn't pay for it." I told him that I was upset...upset that he never told me that he supposedly got an insurance denial, which would have offered me the opportunity to pay cash for the Decipher test. I got not reply (this was all "patient portal messaging"). I thought: "Wait a minute, at the time of biopsy, I had Medicare as well as being on my wife's outstanding health benefit plan. Fast forward a couple months to the point I was now divorced, but still on Medicare obviously. I contacted my Medical Advantage Plan, who said that the Decipher Test is approved for payment. Now I was REALLY ANGRY. So, at this point I am post-op having had my prostate, seminal vesicles, and vas deferens removed. I messaged my urologist back that I want the Decipher Test. His first response was " we don't need it now, we know everything we need to know based on the surgical pathology report" (perineurial invasion, EPE, surgical margins, left seminal vesicle invasion, and cribriform glands). I said, "nooo...we DON'T know everything we need to know...we don't know risk factor and probability of recurrence or metastasis and when." I "directed" my urologist to order the Decipher Test on my prostate tissue (probably better than doing it on biopsy core samples). So the test is ordered, and I am three weeks into the six week turn around time for the results. So...I totally agree...I guess there is a mindset or school of thought by some urologists that the Decipher Test is not worth the time or effort, but I don't know why, and of course, a urologist would never share their reasoning. I am still very angry that he claimed that my insurance would not pay for it. I think that was a convenient lie for the sake that he either didn't want to order the test or that he forgot to order the test.

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Replies to "I noticed the same thing. I first learned of the Decipher test a good month "after"..."

Excellent post rl, so glad you called him on it! The mindset of surgeons is godlike…
A friend’s wife is currently going thru breast Ca. His local surgeon told him that he’ll just remove the rest of the tumor - which had positive biopsy margins - and “she’ll be just fine”. The biopsy (he texted it to me) showed a rare, malignant form of cancer which spreads aggressively.
I erupted when I heard this and got him to go to Moffitt in Tampa. So now they are doing a complete work up with a variety of tests; will do surgery first followed by whatever is necessary.
Unbelievable what still goes on out there…
Phil