First posting from not-so-new member

[Guest guest]

I feel as if I know some of the regulars here. I have been part of this group

for over a year now, and until now have yet joined the discussion; however, I

have been reading and trying to absorb some of the more pertinent things I've

read. At this point at least I know most of the terms and abbreviations used

here, so hopefully I won't seem like such a newbie.

I am 55 years old; I was diagnosed in Feb. '09 with PCa. My initial biopsy found

<5% of one core of 12, Gleason 3+3, T1c; at the time of diagnosis my PSA was

3.8. Because my cancer was so small and at such a low grade, I opted (with my

urologist's cautious approval) for AS. Several months later, as my PSA continued

to rise, I was given a second biopsy, this time with 18 cores, only to have an

identical result. I have continued AS until the present, with the only sign of

potential progression being my PSA. Pardon me, I don't have all the names quite

handy...a test involving massaging my prostate and testing the urine (PCa3 test?

seems to be what I remember it being called) came out negative; another test

involving using the DNA from my biopsy sample to predict potential

aggressiveness was attempted, but there was insufficient cancer remaining from

the sample to perform the test. My latest PSA, taken the end of April, is 7.83

with 13% free.

My urologist is, of course, concerned about my PSA levels. So am I. I am not

100% resistant to treatment--I am otherwise extremely healthy and would like to

stay that way--but until now I have been more afraid of the various side effects

of treatment than of the cancer itself. (Also, in all fairness, there may be a

touch of denial involved here, but I'm trying to acknowledge that possibility

and take it into consideration as well.) My main issue is that I want to know

what I'm attacking. I have read and heard so much about over-treatment that I

don't want to possibly kill off my sex life--and suffer the other potential

effects--without damn good reason.

I am scheduled Monday for a trans-rectal MRI to see if THAT can find out what

the hell is going on (is something hiding somewhere?) and give me a better idea

of how to proceed. Once the results are in, regardless of what they turn out to

be, I believe it's time for the good old second opinion. I am in a good place

for it; I live in Chapel Hill, NC, in close proximity to both UNC and Duke

medical centers, and will likely choose one of them to review my case.

I'm not sure exactly what I'm asking for here, other than to ask if anyone out

there shares my experience, and what invisible factors could be causing my PSA

to rise. And this is premature, but what do I do next if the MRI shows nothing I

don't already know?

Any advice on this matter, or on anything else I may have mentioned (or not),

would be welcome. I also felt it was time to reach out. I have seen the support

you've given one another, and I'm thinking I could use some myself. Thanks for

being here.

Dennis