Getting the Results – Do I or Don’t I?
My Prostate Cancer Diagnosis – Episode Three
It was early afternoon, just a couple of days after my prostate biopsy, when my phone buzzed with a voicemail notification.
It was the urologist’s office.
They had my results. That was quicker than expected.
Immediately, I felt a sense of dread. I took a few moments to compose myself before calling back, expecting to be told the doctor was busy and would call me back when he’s not with a patient.
Instead, they put me through immediately.
Now, I was even more worried.
Two Words You Never Want to Hear
He got straight to the point.
“I’ve got your chart open, and I’m looking at your results.”
“OK.”
“Well, you do have cancer, and that’s unfortunate.”
I had been preparing myself for this. With a low Free-PSA and a defined nodule, albeit small, hoping for anything else felt optimistic—while possible.
Still, while prostate cancer is common—about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed in their lifetime—it didn’t run in my family. Actually, cancer of any kind was rare in my family tree altogether.
The treatment plan he told me I’d likely need sounded simple and straightforward.
So, no need to panic… yet.
But then he continued.
“…and it’s the aggressive kind.”
OK.
Now I wasn’t feeling so confident anymore. This was not what we discussed when I came in for my initial appointment.
“How aggressive?” I asked.
“It’s Gleason 9.”
“Is that the most aggressive?”
“No, there’s one level worse.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“What are the chances of curing it?”
“70–80%…”
That might sound like good odds, but the only number I wanted to hear was 100%.
… “So we’ve got some work to do”
The Odds No One Wants
To put this in perspective, I was on the younger end for a prostate cancer diagnosis. Most cases are found in men over 65, and I was a few years below that.
But here’s the unsettling fact:
✔ When younger men get prostate cancer, it tends to be more aggressive.
✔ About 10% of men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.
✔ Roughly 20% of cases are classified as high or very high risk—meaning they’re more likely to grow and spread quickly.
“That put my odds of getting an aggressive case of prostate cancer at just 2%—yet here I was, with no major risk factors except my age.”
“How was this possible?”
The Moment Fear Set In
Then the doctor said something that made my blood run cold.
“We need to get you scheduled for a PSMA PET scan.”
I knew what that meant.
This wasn’t just another test—it was to see if the cancer had spread beyond my prostate.
If it had, everything would change.
Your best chance of surviving cancer is not getting it in the first place—prevention is key.
But if you do get it, then no matter the type, the more localized it is, the better.
✔ With prostate cancer, you want to keep it “in the box”—contained within the prostate.
✔ That dramatically improves the odds of a cure and long-term remission.
✔ I had read enough to know where prostate cancer spreads first—the lymph nodes, bones, and beyond—and what that could mean for my future.
“Well, the nodule is small, and my PSA is low, all things considered,” I said, trying to reassure myself.
“Yes,” the doctor agreed, pausing, “maybe we’ve caught this just in time.”
“Let’s hope so,” I thought.
