High PSA levels

[Anonymous]

My PSA level at 6.2. MRI came back no evidence of prostate cancer. My urologist suggested ultrasound and biopsy next. An thoughts on how I should proceed further.

[Anonymous]

Just curious, did you get a second PSA test before doing the MRI?

[Anonymous]

My dad had very high PSA but no signs of prostate cancer.....it's just part of becoming an old man. Many men will get benign prostate hyperplasia that makes it hard to pee and makes you pee often. PSA will rise but it isn't cancer.

[Anonymous]

Has observation and repeating the PSA in a period of time been discussed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My PSA level at 6.2. MRI came back no evidence of prostate cancer. My urologist suggested ultrasound and biopsy next. An thoughts on how I should proceed further.

I suggest you post on an anonymous Internet forum of amateurs and follow their recommendations instead of listening to your doctor whose profession it is to tell you the best next steps.

[Anonymous]

I would do what your urologist is recommending. Someone close to me kept putting off the biopsy in light of high PSA and by the time it was done things had progressed quite far. Would have been a better outcome if dx earlier.

[Anonymous]

I usually don’t think crowdsourcing medical advice is smart but for prostate cancer it’s worth taking a close look at the risks of treatment as well as the risks of disease. A urologist could have a greater interest in aggressive treatment than a patient for a few reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I usually don’t think crowdsourcing medical advice is smart but for prostate cancer it’s worth taking a close look at the risks of treatment as well as the risks of disease. A urologist could have a greater interest in aggressive treatment than a patient for a few reasons.

Exactly this.

Doctors had prostate cancer treatment all wrong for decades. Guidelines underwent major changes a decade or two back.

Second opinions are worthwhile here.

Be cautious with those who immediately suggest surgery; the side effects are majorly serious. Definitely get a second opinion before surgery.

[Anonymous]

How old, OP? And how long has PSA been elevated?

[Anonymous]

ChatGPT
If someone has a high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, the next step would be to undergo further testing to determine the cause of the elevated PSA. The following tests may be recommended:

Digital rectal exam (DRE): This test involves a doctor inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for any abnormalities in the prostate gland.
Prostate biopsy: If the DRE and PSA test indicate a high likelihood of prostate cancer or other prostate conditions, a biopsy may be recommended. During a biopsy, a small tissue sample is taken from the prostate gland and analyzed for any abnormalities or cancerous cells.
Imaging tests: Imaging tests, such as ultrasound, MRI, or CT scans, may be done to get a clearer picture of the prostate gland and to detect any abnormalities or growths.
The course of treatment will depend on the underlying cause of the high PSA level. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or watchful waiting (monitoring the situation without immediate intervention).

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering if you would share who your doctor is because my urologist wanted to do a biopsy for elevated PSA instead of an MRI. But I'd like to do as you did, an MRI first. Or at least I want to get more information. My understanding is 30-40% of men with prostate cancer have a false negative from biopsy. So how many times is a man supposed to have a negative biopsy before accepting and trusting the results?
6.2 is elevated but as I understand, it depends on your age, the presence of BPH, other possible conditions to elevate PSA, and the trend of your PSA over sevaeral months or years. Good lucky to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My PSA level at 6.2. MRI came back no evidence of prostate cancer. My urologist suggested ultrasound and biopsy next. An thoughts on how I should proceed further.

I suggest you post on an anonymous Internet forum of amateurs and follow their recommendations instead of listening to your doctor whose profession it is to tell you the best next steps.

Snaky and ignorant comment. There's nothing wrong with gathering more information from others that are having the same issues. Blindly following one doctor's guidance can be a really bad idea too. Ultimately we have to partner with the healthcare providers we choose, but it's up to each of us to make informed choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering if you would share who your doctor is because my urologist wanted to do a biopsy for elevated PSA instead of an MRI. But I'd like to do as you did, an MRI first. Or at least I want to get more information. My understanding is 30-40% of men with prostate cancer have a false negative from biopsy. So how many times is a man supposed to have a negative biopsy before accepting and trusting the results?
6.2 is elevated but as I understand, it depends on your age, the presence of BPH, other possible conditions to elevate PSA, and the trend of your PSA over sevaeral months or years. Good lucky to you.

A normal MRI does not exclude the possibility of prostate cancer. There are many articles on this topic on the web

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering if you would share who your doctor is because my urologist wanted to do a biopsy for elevated PSA instead of an MRI. But I'd like to do as you did, an MRI first. Or at least I want to get more information. My understanding is 30-40% of men with prostate cancer have a false negative from biopsy. So how many times is a man supposed to have a negative biopsy before accepting and trusting the results?
6.2 is elevated but as I understand, it depends on your age, the presence of BPH, other possible conditions to elevate PSA, and the trend of your PSA over sevaeral months or years. Good lucky to you.

A normal MRI does not exclude the possibility of prostate cancer. There are many articles on this topic on the web

Thank you. I've seen some. It's just hard to reconcile the false negative biopsy data with that, especially when the biopsy is quite an unpleasant procedure with its own risks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering if you would share who your doctor is because my urologist wanted to do a biopsy for elevated PSA instead of an MRI. But I'd like to do as you did, an MRI first. Or at least I want to get more information. My understanding is 30-40% of men with prostate cancer have a false negative from biopsy. So how many times is a man supposed to have a negative biopsy before accepting and trusting the results?
6.2 is elevated but as I understand, it depends on your age, the presence of BPH, other possible conditions to elevate PSA, and the trend of your PSA over sevaeral months or years. Good lucky to you.

A normal MRI does not exclude the possibility of prostate cancer. There are many articles on this topic on the web

Is that true that the false negatives that high from biopsy? Alternatively, we can't ignore when the doctor suggested to go for biopsy, right? I'm scheduled for one, when MRI results came clean.