Hello,

I am looking for some answers or advice from someone knowledgeable about prostate cancer.

On Monday July 11th my 67 year old grandfather went for a prostate cancer screening and his results on his test (I believe the PSA) was 11, which is too high. He went in last year for a screening and was never given his results back, leaving him to feel that they were ok. I never knew this or I would have pushed for him to request them. Now he is unable to go in for a biopsy until July 28th which seems way too long to wait for something that could be life threatening. He is also having some symptoms which my grandmother told me about. He has always been in fantastic shape except for high blood pressure. He was also a smoker but quit about 13 years ago. I am furious that the doctors don't seem urgently concerned about this.

I just don’t know what to do. Should he try to find an earlier appointment? How long does it take to get the results? What should we expect?

I know the feeling that the doctors don't act like this is urgent. It is 12 days. Things won't change in that short a time. The good news is that the doctor is going straight to a biopsy. Usually there is a regimine of antibiotics first to rule out begnine prostatic hyperplasia BPH. Simply put, this is an infection of the prostate gland. Do know that there are conditions other than cancer that can cause the PSA to rise. I would take heart and wait for the results of the biopsy...a few days after the procedure. Shoxx

Prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing cancer in most cases. Waiting until July 28th will probably not matter that much.

By the time PCa is discovered, it has usually been present for some time. A recent study of men who all went through biopsies (in their 40's) showed that more than 20% had evidence of early prostate cancer, despite normal PSA's.

Biopsy results, depending upon the pathology lab, can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks.

good luck!

Ken in CA

Hi Cassidy. Your alarm is understandable, but, as others have said, prostate cancer tends to be very slow-growing. It needs to be identified and a treatment plan put in place, but a delay of several weeks is not cause for concern. In my own case, the time from elevated PSA reading to biopsy was at least 3 or 4 weeks, and even after I was diagnosed with cancer, I didn't have surgery until 4 months later. In fact, for some older patients, the treatment is to just monitor the patient for further developments (watchful waiting), figuring that some other issue will end the patients life in the years that it will take for the prostate cancer to develop into a deadly form. For those of us who are younger (I am 56, but I would include your grandfather, too, at 67), it is more likely that a more active treatment will be necessary. It is unfortunate that health care practitioners don't always take the time to explain things to patients and their families. When we hear the "c-word" we are all likely to be freaked out. A little more explanation can ease the tension. Good luck with the biopsy results, let us know what they find.

The medical world does not declare a five alarm emergency in many cases even though we the family may wish them to do. I was diagnosed with PCa almost 2 months after the first PSA test. Several PSA tests were done before biopsy - even then my URO was a bit in shock as I was 48. Surgery came 6 weeks after the biopsy. I wanted some time to bring closure to some things - go on vacation - and gulp see a lawyer about a will and $$ matters for potential survivors. No doubt I had cancer for a long time so 6 weeks more was not going to be terminal.

Have to agree with the rest of the gang Cassidy ... time is very relative when it comes to PC. Like Ron, I probably had it for several years before my Prim Care doc finally decided to actually order up a PSA test. So at age 56, a 4.8 PSA score and a family history of PC, we went straight for the biopsy routine. 4 of 12 needles came back positive for cancer so 10 weeks later I had robotic surgery which is the best choice I ever made next to marrying my wife! :D . Most grandads probably don't like to discuss the details with their grandkids. No need to be furious with the Docs ... am sure they mean well & have your grandad's best interests in mind. Good luck to him with the biopsy. Keep us informed.

Thom in VA.