Understanding your results
A prostate cancer diagnosis is interpreted alongside the PSA level, biopsy Grade Group or Gleason score, imaging and your general health. These findings help distinguish cancers suitable for monitoring from those needing treatment.
A raised PSA alone does not establish cancer. Infection, inflammation and benign enlargement can also affect the result. MRI and biopsy answer different questions; the tissue diagnosis remains central to grading.
A discussion of all suitable options
- Active surveillance: structured monitoring for selected lower-risk cancers.
- Radical prostatectomy: removal of the prostate, with lymph node surgery when indicated.
- Radiotherapy: an alternative that may be combined with hormone treatment.
- Focal therapy: an option for carefully selected localised disease, with specific evidence limitations and follow-up requirements.
- Systemic treatment: hormone therapy and other medicines when the disease setting calls for them.
Your consultation with Dr. Sachin
The discussion can cover robotic prostatectomy, the feasibility of nerve preservation, focal treatment assessment and the relevance of a multidisciplinary opinion. The aim is to make the reasoning behind the proposed treatment understandable.
Bring your PSA history, MRI images and report, biopsy report and any staging scans. If you have already received treatment, bring its dates and the operative, radiotherapy or medication records.
Questions worth asking
- What is my risk category, and how does it affect the urgency of treatment?
- Could monitoring be appropriate?
- How might each option affect continence, erections and fertility?
- What would follow-up involve, and what could lead to further treatment?
Common questions
Does every prostate cancer need surgery?
No. The choice depends on the cancer’s risk and extent, your health and your preferences. Surveillance, radiation and systemic treatments have roles in different settings.
Can I seek a second opinion before deciding?
Yes. Bring the complete imaging and biopsy records so the discussion can address the actual findings and proposed options.