2. Why Would My Doctor Recommend a Prostate Biopsy?<\/h3>\n
Doctors will generally recommend a biopsy if you meet one or more of the following criteria:<\/p>\n
- \n
- You have an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level<\/a> after multiple tests.<\/li>\n
- Your doctor finds lumps or hardness during a digital rectal exam.<\/li>\n
- You still have elevated an PSA level despite a normal biopsy.<\/li>\n
- A previous biopsy found non-cancerous yet abnormal cells.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As more evidence emerges about the lack of precision in PSA tests<\/a> in detecting cancer, doctors are less likely to recommend a biopsy solely based on those tests and more likely to suggest a digital rectal exam (DRE).<\/p>\n
3. What Should I Do Before the Biopsy?<\/h3>\n
You\u2019ll need to provide a urine sample to confirm you don\u2019t have a urinary tract infection, stop taking any medication or supplements that increase the risk of bleeding, and your doctor may ask you to perform a cleansing enema. You may also be prescribed antibiotics before the procedure.<\/p>\n
4. What Happens During a Prostate Biopsy?<\/h3>\n
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<\/strong><\/p>\nYou’ll be asked to lie on your side, drawing your leg or legs up to your chest to make the rectum or perineum more accessible. Then, your prostate will be scanned using an ultrasound device, and you\u2019ll receive local anesthetic.<\/p>\n
Once the prostate is mapped out, the doctor will take ten to twelve samples from areas of potential concern, using a spring-loaded needle. You\u2019ll experience some slight discomfort when the needle is deployed, and the procedure will last about twenty minutes.<\/p>\n
For more detail about what to expect from a prostate biopsy, see this blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n
5. What Should I Do After the Biopsy?<\/h3>\n
You\u2019ll be asked not to exert yourself too much for one to two days after the procedure. You may feel a little sore in the area as well.<\/p>\n
Monitor your semen, urine, and feces. A small amount of blood or a rust tinge may be present due to a small amount of bleeding from the sampled area.<\/p>\n
If you have a fever, trouble urinating, increasing pain, or heavy bleeding, call a doctor immediately.<\/p>\n
6. What Happens Next?<\/h3>\n
The prostate cells are examined under a microscope for indications of any malignancy or abnormality. If cancerous cells are found, they\u2019ll \u00a0be graded with a Gleason score<\/a>. The score uses two numbers on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being normal cells and 5 being highly cancerous. The two scores are then added together. A score of 2 means no cancer; a 10 means highly dangerous cancer.<\/p>\n
The Gleason score will drive any treatment decisions your doctor makes, although there are other factors involved, including age, other medical conditions you may have, and the side effects of treatment. Prostate cancer is relatively common in older men and rarely causes mortality, so your doctor may decide to monitor the tumor\u00a0<\/a>instead of treating it.<\/p>\n
For More Information<\/h3>\n
If you’d like to learn more about your prostate and the role it plays in men’s health, please see our User’s Guide to the Prostate<\/a>.<\/p>\n
For more about prostate cancer, follow the eDrugstore blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n