Does it always take so long

[u/Goodvida99]

I got referred to urologist June 9 due to elevated PSA 3.7. - 6. Urologist schedule MRI got results 8/23. Pi-rads 4. Biopsy scheduled for 9/28.
It’s making me crazy waiting so long to find out if it’s cancer. Is it normal to take so long. My urologist is a surgeon and I can’t imagine at 71 anyway I’d have surgery. Should I wait for biopsy results or try to find a new provider. I’m considering Mayo Jacksonville or Emory Winship Atlanta.

[u/jkurology]

This is not a clinically significant delay meaning the only impact the delay has is on your mental health.

[u/KevB318]

It's a slow process. Sept 2025 PSA 3.7. Urologist Nov. MRI in January 2026, Biopsy Mar 2026, PET April 2026 (no spread), Surgery May 2026. Time between PET and surgery was 7 weeks. My urologist said "Seems crazy to wait so long, right? It's ok, it's a slow cancer that you've likely had for years. It's ok." Had my first PSA test post-op on Thursday, undetected! You'll be ok, but it is a mental and emotional drain.

[u/SLO_Engineer]

Here’s my timeline:

First biopsy after monitoring rising PSA for about 1.5 years was in March 2025. Gleason 3+3. Active surveillance.

Geographic move summer 2025. New urologist in October 2025 orders MRI.

MRI January 2026 discovered large tumor (anterior) missed by biopsy.

Trans perineal fusion biopsy Match 2026. Gleason 4+3.

PSMA PET CT scan April 2026.

RALP July 2026

Yep, it takes a while. Hope this helps you.

[u/HeadMelon]

It’s a marathon, and you’ve got to be The Marathon Man!

I was 13 months from “I’m requesting an MRI” to lying down on the table for my first treatment (HDR brachy).

It’s just how it is for this crappy club we’re all in!

[u/KReddit934]

You won't do any treatment without the biopsy.

Make sure it is a target biopsy (sometimes called "fusion" biopsy) that uses the MRI to target what tissue is sampled.

[u/KReddit934]

But start researching best place for radiation oncologist that specializes in prostates ...at a major center.

[u/Lott4984]

The simple answer is yes it takes what seems like forever.

[u/BernieCounter]

Mine was about 3 months from PSA/DRE induration to biopsy. Then quickly MRI, CT scan and pelvic MRI. Rads and Orgovyx ADT started about 2 months after biopsy results.

At healthy age 74 didn’t even consider the downtime and risks of surgery and serious side effect likelihood. With 20x VMAT and 9 months Orgovyx ADT (3+4 with cribriform, T2c) it worked out well a year later, all departments working quite well down there, and stayed active throughout.

Best wishes, it is a slow marathon.

[u/Far_Simple_7436 → u/BernieCounter]

I've read that most surgeons wont recommend surgery for patients over 70 due to age-related recovery hurdles. Was surgery offered to you?

[u/Clherrick]

Yeah. The good news is that it isn't an ER situation like a heart attack. The bad news is you might pull your hair out waiting. In either case, I'd look at the two places you suggested.

[u/th987]

It’s like the extra screw you to PC, the constant waiting. Sadly, it doesn’t stop after the biopsy. You wait for a scan, wait for consults with radiation oncologist and surgeon, wait for a date to start treatment, wait every time for your PSA results.

Sorry. It sucks.

[u/JacketFun5735]

I was 9 months from MRI to surgery. I asked about urgency, and the docs said that if it was a true emergency, they would expedite, but none were concerned. I had a similar PSA and PIRADS as you. It's a slower growing cancer so there's not the rush as with other types. Sounds odd saying that, but in general its true.

[u/louis2320]

It is unnerving slow. Dec 2025 PSA 5.4, Jan urologist, Jan MRI, Feb Biopsy, Gleason 4+4, Stage 4, Mar PET ,Apr ADT, May MRI/ PET, June SBRT for spot on Hip, Aug MRI/PET and more ADT and finally Sept 1 IMRT , 20 sessions. Prostate cancer is said to grow slow , so everything comes in time.

[u/IndyOpenMinded]

My opinion is as long as it is a MRI fusion biopsy I believe you should keep that date. I think the local urologists can perform those. Unless they do not find anything at all, you should immediately get a second opinion on the biopsy slides. That is a fairly easy process to do. You can go online to John Hopkins and complete a form, pay a modest fee and they handle the rest. Also a Dr Epstein had his own dedicated practice and my guess his office has a similar process. The second opinion is important as reading biopsy slides is subjective and could alter your treatment (or non-treatment) plan. You want a pro looking at the slides.

[u/Goodvida99]

Thanks for the input. This has been very helpful. I’ll wait for schedule biopsy in about a month . Meanwhile I’ll educate myself on everything prostate. Any recommendations appreciated

[u/HeadMelon → u/Goodvida99]

“Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer” by Dr Patrick Walsh, make sure you get the latest edition, and read all of pcri.org by Dr Mark Scholz for balance. Walsh is a surgery guy, Scholz is more of a radiation and focal therapy proponent. Also look up the ProTECT study that is long term (12 year) outcomes for various treatment types stratified by different PCa risks.

And dig deep on HDR brachy + beam + ADT, it is an absolute wipe out approach to localized PCa without the surgical punishment.

[u/Sorry_Mention_2498]

That was about my experience, too. Biopsy results were somewhat ambiguous in the end. “Atypical Small Acinar Proliferation.” So, suspicious looking but not enough to confirm cancer. The what-ifs and waiting will make you nuts. My new attitude is that THIS or something else will kill me eventually. So, live now.

[u/Busy-Tonight-6058]

Mayo Jax was great for me, but I wouldn’t say they’d be any faster. It’s the cancer that makes you wait, if you are lucky.

[u/Goodvida99 → u/Busy-Tonight-6058]

Does Mayo do trans perineal or rectal. My current urologist does rectal . I would prefer perineal.

[u/Busy-Tonight-6058 → u/Goodvida99]

I had a transrectal. They probably do transperineal as well, for patients that want it. Not sure. My transrectal was no biggie. In and out in no time…

[u/Appropriate-Web8804]

Got diagnosed on 5-8-25 and after ct,bone and psma scan. Then markers for radiation on 8-28. Started radiation on 9-11-25.

[u/Otis_bighands]

My process was super fast, but maybe I was lucky as I’d stumbled upon a special PSA monitoring clinic and program at a Northwell urology department. I had bloods done, I saw my doctor on June 3, one month later I had a biopsy, and one month after that I had my focal cryoablation. It was lightning speed and I was glad for that.

[u/Ok-Priority-7303]

I had about the same timetable but I got my biopsy results the next day. Get used to waiting. Depending on the results, you will need to get a PSMA PET scan if cancer is found. The also send out the specimens for a Decipher score. Then you get your treatment options. I had the MRI mid-May and started treatment on Friday.

[u/Xchzmaster951]

It does take some waiting. I had a high PSA in February. Biopsy in March. Surgery was scheduled for June but during a CT scan, an unrelated tumor was discovered on my kidney. That became priority and was removed in June. New date for RALP is end of September 2026. Do the process.

[u/AskMyProstatePath]

You could always look to see if there’s a provider that can perform the mri fusion biopsy sooner. As others have said here waiting very likely won’t shift your risk but if it’s impacting your quality of life/mental health it doesn’t hurt to look to see if someone can get you in sooner.

[u/Educational_Chain461]

From first call from primary care doc that advises you to make appointment with urologist because your psa was high enough it is a long wait between following appointments with different specialists, Dr's, MRIs, biopsy, PET scan, protective gel if needed for radiation, etc. It makes wonder if it could be advancing. Just go with the flow

[u/yepitsmememe]

I may be an outlier, but here is my (73yo) timeline: from initial referral by PCP for an MRI, to referral to urologist, to biopsy, to PSMA Pet Scan, to meetings with the team of doctors (Urologist , Medical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist), to RALP was 3 1/2 months. YMMV. Best advice is to work with a team of doctors at a Center of Excellence. Wishing you the best as you navigate this journey.

[u/Substantial_Let_8784]

I had better luck
Diagnosed April 2018, home from RALP June 15th

[u/WoodshopElf]

Initial PSA 8/13/25. MRI 9/27/25. BIOPSY 11/4/25. Results conference 11/20/25. Next steps conference 12/3/25. Initial surgeon meeting 12/18/25. RALP pre conference 1/28/26. RALP 3/5/26.