I don't know if waiting until mid May for surgery is a smart thing to do; or would it be in my best interest to have the surgery performed somewhere else sooner?
I am 46, PSA in Nov 07 increased to 2.75 from a 2.49 in Aug 05. I had biopsy in January 08. The first pathology report indicated my Gleason score = 8, Stage Ta1. There were 8 cores taken with 1 core positive on one side of the prostate. I had the same biopsy slides sent to Johns Hopkins for a second reading in February (I just got the results yesterday). They report Gleason of 3+3=6 and 3+4=7 which appears better then the original score of 8, however the second report indicates cancer cells found on both sides.
When I was told I had prostate cancer in February, my Urologist stressed that I act on this rather quickly because of the Gleason score of 8 indicating it was an agressive cancer, however caught at a very early stage. He suggested I have surgery by the end of March. Yesterday I went to the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit for a second opinion. Their Veil of Aphrodite Nerve Sparing procedure is highly recommended and I have had many people tell me that Henry Ford is the place to go. The earliest they could schedule surgery was mid May.
Although Henry Ford is probably the most experienced and best at preserving the nerves; I left there feeling unsure about the change in urgency. Does the second Gleason score of 6 & 7 really change my situation that much that delaying surgery isn't that big of an issue? I almost felt they may have been presented this way because mid May is the best they could offer? Also, is it common to have this difference between two pathology reports of the same biopsy, or should I consider getting a 3rd opinion?