John, from what I know, my dad didn't die of colon cancer, he died of Cirrhosis of the Liver from all of his drinking over the years. As for the colonoscopy, I remember having one a number of years ago, but since I've only done the mail-in ones and they all came back negative. There is a preferred, and now highly recommended, prostate blood test that I want to have done. The old PSA is just that "old" and was found to be very inaccurate some years ago. There were men showing a high number, like myself, that wasn't an accurate number and being put thru tests that didn't need to be done. A good thing is, my half brother had a tough time urinating, which I don't have. But, until I talk to a Urologist, we just don't know much about why my number is so high.
I don't want to freak you out, but your father had colon cancer. So it exists in a 1st Degree Relative. Your doctor needs to know this, even though the cirrhosis got him first. The mail-in test tests for existing cancer. A colonoscopy will find and get rid of pre-cancerous growths.
I wonder how accurate the mail in tests are? My new NP thinks that is the way to go as you get older so that older people don't have to go under unnecessary anesthesia. I don't think those home tests can't detect polyps so why bother? Probably just another money grab test, my cynical self says. I think the mail in tests can only detect blood in the stool and maybe existing cancer. Then you would have to have a colonoscopy anyway.
I had a friend die of colon cancer. She was in her 80s, and in fine health otherwise. I've gotten good at being aggressive with medical providers these past few years. They'll have to pry the endoscope out of my cold, dead...well, you know what I mean.
After I done the mail-in one, my VA doctor told me that the results, in the letter I got, stated that I had nothing and no need to get an actual colonoscopy. So, I went with what he told me. Bottom Line Here: Will wait and see what this VA Community Care Urologist tells us next Wednesday and go from there. My wife and I could keep guessing/wondering what is wrong, but will leave the diagnosing up to the Urologist. We just want to know what is going on and get treatment started.
The mail-in tests assay for neoplastic changes in DNA, not just blood like the old days. I don't know if they pick up polyps or not, but I think it would be unlikely. The VA and many doctors (and insurance companies) encourage them because they are so much cheaper than the regular colonoscopy. The mail-in tests have both false positives and false negatives (the false negatives being the more dangerous as cancer would be missed) and positives need to be followed up with a colonoscopy anyway since a biopsy would be needed for confirmation. As far as the PSA goes, there is a newer test that supposedly tests for chromosomal conformation with a 94% accuracy. I am sure it is much more expensive and probably is only done in reference laboratories since it is a relatively new test. I think PSA with reflex is still a good test but it is not a true screening test in the normal sense. If a man begins a PSA history in his 40s or 50s, it can be monitored for changes and when it dramatically changes, investigation can be done. The "reflex" is to a Free PSA that helps a urologist separate non-cancer causes of elevation from those caused by neoplasm. No test is perfect and a provider needs to think about any results the obtain, which, unfortunately doesn't happen a lot any more.
I sent a message to my last VA doctor in Colorado and his Assistant told me that my VA Records show that my last PSA Lab was on 10 August 2021 and I verified that by looking myself. My PSA then was 1.36, but in January 2021, it was 1.22 and on 9 January 2020, it was .093. So, it appears to me that my PSA has been going up since January of 2020, but not enough for my VA doctors to "red flag" about. I still can get a small pain, but not serious pain, on the left, and sometimes right, side of my belly. After a short while, the pain goes away. I have no problem at all driving. In fact, I drove the entire way to Prescott, Arizona, with one stop to eat breakfast, on Sept. 21st. And, during the time we were in Prescott, less than 5 days, I drove around in Prescott. On the way back home, my wife drove for an hour, but I drove the other 3 hours. Prescott is 4 hours from where we live. I see the Urologist (VA Community Care) tomorrow and wife and I will see what he, or she, tells us. Just want to get treatment going, whatever kind of treatment that will be. I've got a few things written down I want to tell him/her and ask him/her.
Update of Prostate Lab Number: This last Wednesday, had an appointment with a, what I thought was going to be a Urologist, but turned out to be a NP that works for the Urologist that is assigned to me by VA Community Care. She told us what can be done to find out if my prostate has cancer in it and if it does, if it has spread. Recommended an MRI and then a Biopsy. The MRI isn't a big deal, but for the Biopsy has "before, during and after) procedures, including taking Antibiotics. If he can, he will take up to 12 samples of my prostate for a lab to look at. Now, if no cancer is found, which can, and has, happened to men, the Urologist will have to figure out why my PSA number is so high. If cancer is found, than it will be up to my wife and I what to do next. The NP told us that cancer in the prostate is a very slow mover and it can take up to 10 to 15 years to really be a problem. IOW, there are men, at age 70 and above, like me at 75, that choose not to treat the cancer due to the length of time (10 to 15 years) thing. And, there are men over 70, that choose to have radiation treatments done to kill the cancer cells. The NP told wife and I that we can decide what to do later, if the Biopsy comes back positive for cancer. Right now we are at both the "yes" treatment and "no" treatment, due to my age. We are hoping/praying for the "no cancer" results, but have to be prepared for the opposite results. I have no ida when my 1/2 brother got his PSA number, but he has got cancer and that cancer has spread to his Lymph Nodes. I don't know totally time situation concerning his PSA number, but he has cancer in his prostate and it has spread. So, from what he told me, his situation is serious and will start radiation treatments soon. But, with my situation, MRI first, then Biopsy second. Don't know anything until my results come in.
Cody, I'm sending you my best wishes for a good outcome. I know how nerve-racking it is to wait on testing and fear of hearing "The C Word." Try not to worry until you have to.
Beth, thanks so, so much for the "best wishes". Really appreciated! I just told my wife, "I was more relaxed yesterday and even today and I think it's because of what the NP told me about my two options". That is, if the results are negative, we will both be very happy. If they are positive, but haven't spread, then we have to think about both options. IOW, radiation treatments or saying "the heck with it, we will just continue living life." It can be a hard choice, but going thru radiation treatments may not be the best choice. Just have to see what my results say.
@Cody Fousnaugh the NP isn't entirely correct in saying that prostate cancer is slow moving. Your brother is an example of the other. Sometimes it takes years to metastasize and other times it moves quickly. Nobody seems to know why. Don't assume the PSA number means cancer, because there are several other reasons why your number is so high, but you should find out what is going on in your body. The good news is that pinpoint radiation treatment--Gamma Camera or Cyber Knife--seem to take care of the cancer in most men and with few side effects. I am glad you are getting things examined. Maybe the MRI will be negative.
As far as I can tell after reading up on UTIs is that these became a big problem once women began sleeping around with lots of partners. What used to only impact hookers to any serious extent is far more widespread since the 1960s.