My Prostate Cancer: Diagnosing

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Diagnosing Prostate Cancer:

Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)

Your doctor can exam most of the prostate gland by placing a gloved, lubricated finger in the rectum, feeling for and changes in its consistency / texture, enlargement of the size of the prostate, and firmness that might indicate cancer.

Prostate Biopsy: When and how is a prostate biopsy done?

If your PSA and / or DRE are abnormal, your urologist may recommend a biopsy. The biopsy is one way to be sure that prostate cancer is actually present.

Preparation:
Usually an antibiotic is given prior to the
prostate biopsy, along with cleansing enema. Most biopsies are performed under precise transrectal ultrasound of the prostate (TRUS) guidance. The doctor puts an ultrasound probe into the rectum and bounces sound waves off the prostate so as to create an image on a video screen. Using this image as a guide, the urologist inserts a hollow, fine needle and biopsies suspicious areas of the prostate (this means taking samples of the prostate cells). These samples are then sent to a lab where a pathologists looks at them under a microscope to see if cancer cells are present.

Results:
In a few days the results will be available , and your urologist will discuss them with you.

What happens if your results are positive?
If your biopsy has come back "positive" for cancer, you may feel frightened and shocked. This is a time for you to gather facts and figures so as to confront this problem.

Remember that cancer is a major illness, but it is not necessarily a "death sentence." Fortunately, most prostate cancers grow slowly, and moreover improved screening techniques have helped urologists diagnose prostate cancer at an earlier and curable stage. Recent advance in
diagnosing, staging, and in treatment now give men with
prostate cancer more options and increased hope that they will continue to live their lives wit the highest possible quality.

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