Prostate Biopsy

What is Prostate Biopsy? 

Even though the health sector has revolutionized over the past couple of centuries and managed to eliminate many deadly diseases through effective treatment, cancer is still one of the diseases that continues to trouble humanity. Even the mentioning of cancer is enough for many to be horrified as the word carries so much meaning, experience, and sorrow. That being said, cancer is not untreatable. Despite the lack of a certain solution for cancer in general, the early diagnosis of the illness provides an immense advantage. Individuals who are diagnosed with cancer in the early stages are likely to survive the illness with minimum difficulties. Therefore, biopsies are crucial steps to tackle cancer as an illness. 

Prostate biopsy is done to determine whether there is cancer on the prostate or not. To make this determination, a set of small samples are taken from the prostate tissue and then examined in detail. According to studies, 1 in every 8 men is likely to experience prostate cancer in their lifetime. Considering the commonness of this particular type of cancer, men are often encouraged to go through a prostate biopsy in case of a suspicion to preserve their health while getting an effective treatment if the results suggest cancer. 

How is Prostate Biopsy done? 

Prostate biopsy is done in two common methods. The first one is a transrectal biopsy in which a needle is inserted toward the rectum. The second one is the transperineal biopsy during which the needle is inserted through the tissue between the anus and scrotum. During the prostate biopsy procedure, the patient is expected to lie on his side with his knees crawled towards his chest. In some cases, the patient might be asked to lie on his stomach. Initially, the area that the needle will be inserted into is being cleaned and covered with a soothing gel. Then, the doctor enters a small ultrasound probe towards the patient’s rectum, to come up with the images of the patient’s prostate so that the urologist can determine the area that the needle will be inserted. After, the doctor numbs the area in question and starts to extract 10-12 small tissues from the patient’s rectum through a needle. Despite not being painful thanks to the numbness of the area, the prostate biopsy procedure can make the patients feel uncomfortable for a short while. In general, the procedure lasts approximately 20 minutes.

The reasons for having Prostate Biopsy

If the patient’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) suggests higher levels than normal for his age if there are some anomalies on the rectum such as the lumps that can be found through the rectal exam, and, last but not least, if a previous prostate biopsy procedure failed to provide the necessary information or failed to prove to be effective for one reason or another, the patient might require to get a prostate biopsy. 

Before the Prostate Biopsy operation

Ahead of the prostate biopsy procedure, the patients are expected to get their urinary sample analyzed to make sure they do not have urinary tract infection since it may cause the operation to be delayed. The patients are also expected to not consume any medication that can accelerate the bleeding before the operation. The patients are often recommended to get a cleansing enema while taking antibiotics to avoid any infection during the operation.

After the Prostate Biopsy operation

Following the operation, the patients might be required to use antibiotics for a couple of days. The patients might experience loss of sensation and mild bleeding in their rectum for a short while, as well as observing blood in their urine and semen.

What are the risks of Prostate Biopsy?

Some possible complications that might occur with the prostate biopsy operation can be summarized as bleeding at the rectum, having blood in the semen and urine, difficulty in urinating, and infection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How painful is a biopsy of the prostate?

Prostate biopsy is often considered a not painful operation since it takes place under local anesthesia that numbs the area.

What percentage of prostate biopsies are cancer?

According to the studies, only 1 out of 4 prostate biopsy procedures come out like cancer.

Can you drive home after a prostate biopsy?

It is not recommended for the patients to drive home alone after the procedure since they can feel a little bit numb. Therefore, the patients are required to arrange someone who will drive them home.

How long does a prostate biopsy take?

The longevity of the operation differs between 10 to 20 minutes.

At what PSA level should a biopsy be done?

If the patient’s PSA is higher than 4 ng/mL, then a prostate biopsy is recommended.

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