Prostate biopsy is a procedure in which small samples are removed from a man's prostate gland to be tested for the presence of cancer. A prostate gland biopsy is a test to remove small samples of prostate tissue to be examined under a microscope. Absolutely necessary to diagnosing cancer, a prostate biopsy is not quite the cakewalk that some sources would have you believe. The prostate biopsy procedure is an important test that can help confirm the presence of cancer in men.
What is a Prostate Biopsy Procedure ?
A prostate gland biopsy is a test to remove small samples of prostate tissue to be examined under a microscope. See a picture of the prostate gland .
For a prostate biopsy, a thin needle is inserted through the rectum (transrectal biopsy), through the urethra, or through the area between the anus and scrotum (perineum). A transrectal biopsy is the most common method used. The tissue samples taken during the biopsy are examined for cancer cells.
A biopsy may be done when a blood test shows a high level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or after a digital rectal examination finds an abnormal prostate or a lump.
The prostate biopsy procedure is an important test that can help confirm the presence of cancer in men. Doctors recommend you to have this biopsy after your test results display a higher than normal level of the Prostate Specific Antigen hormone, also known as the PSA. There is no specific reason behind the increased level of PSA in the human body. Actually, there are quite a number of reasons why these can rise, and while many of them are innocent, a raised level of this hormone could also indicate the presence of cancer. The prostate gland undergoes some growth after men reach around the age of forty and by the time they attain the age of fifty, a lot of men start experiencing urination issues. This does not necessarily mean that all men are suffering from cancer, since enlargement is quite natural and also a sign of aging. However, cancer also causes enlargement, and this is why a prostate biopsy should be considered.
DRE, or digital rectum examination is done to feel the texture and size of a man’s prostate prior to the biopsy. The DRE is actually helpful in these cases since it enables the doctor to decide whether the tissue inside feels normal or not, and also to locate any uneven areas inside that could indicate some tumor.
Prostate biopsy procedure can be done in variety of ways, but the most prevalent one is known as the core needle biopsy. Medically, this procedure has a very complex name, and is called the transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy, but is actually a very simple procedure and can be completed in as less as 20 minutes. The procedure involves the use of an ultrasound probe that is already been loaded with hollow needles. The doctor then inserts this probe in the patient’s rectum and slowly guides it to the areas that are most likely to have cancer. During the real biopsy procedure, the doctors fire the preloaded hollow needles in the tissues of the gland to remove the core samples. Later on, these samples are examined to check for the presence of cancer or other abnormal cells.
There are no major side effects of having this biopsy. The known side effects include discomfort and mild pain. Anyone who undergoes the transrectal biopsy procedure experiences blood in the urine and semen and sometimes also in the anus. One might consider this biopsy as an unpleasant thought, but it actually is a life saving medical procedure.
