Diagnosing Prostate Cancer If the results of a screening show signs of cancer, your doctor may order a biopsy to sample your prostate tissue, see if cancer is present, and assess its severity, and inform your next steps. How is prostate cancer diagnosed? Diagnosis is where your medical team verifies that prostate cancer is present, sees how aggressive the form of cancer is, and determines whether it has spread into the surrounding body.When a PSA blood test shows elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen in your body, or a digital rectal exam (DRE) appears abnormal, further testing will be needed. A biopsy is a procedure where your doctor removes a tissue sample from your prostate, and a pathologist examines the tissue to verify the presence of cancer and begin to understand the nature of your disease.From this test, your medical team can begin to see whether the cancer is aggressive, if it shows signs of having spread, and help inform your next steps in terms of the right treatment. Your doctor will look at all of your test results, your symptoms, your family history and recommend which, if any, additional tests you may need. Learn more about diagnosing prostate cancer Expand All What is a prostate biopsy? A prostate biopsy removes samples of tissue from the prostate in order to diagnose prostate cancer. The doctor will take 12 or more "core" samples from different parts of the prostate using a fine needle. This is called a core needle biopsy. Ultrasound is often used to guide the needle and limit damage to surrounding tissue.There are three different types of prostate biopsies:Transrectal – This is the most common biopsy procedure. The doctor – with the guidance of an ultrasound device – inserts needles through the wall of the rectum and into the prostate to take tissue samples.Transurethral – A lighted tiny lens is inserted into the urethra to allow the doctor to see the prostate and then uses a microscopic cutting loop to take samples of tissue.Transperineal – The doctor makes an incision in the perineum (the area between the anus and scrotum) and inserts a needle to take tissue cores of the prostate.The tissue taken during the biopsy is examined by a pathologist to determine if cancer is present. What do my biopsy results mean? A negative biopsy indicates that none of the biopsy samples found any evidence of prostate cancer. This is usually good news—however, this does not necessarily mean that there is no prostate cancer present. Your doctor may want to continue to monitor your PSA levels or do a repeat biopsy in the future.A positive biopsy indicates that there is evidence of prostate cancer. This would be considered a diagnosis of prostate cancer. The biopsy results are used to determine the stage and grade of the tumor. These provide information on the approximate location and size of the cancer, and how aggressive it may be. What are other prostate cancer diagnostic tests? "If we can see it, we can treat it."A variety of conventional tests can be used to help find prostate cancer in the body. Conventional imaging, like ultrasound, MRI scans, CT scans, and bone scans can help determine if and where the prostate cancer has spread, plan treatment, or find out if treatment is working.Recently, advances in imaging have made it easier to find prostate cancer that has spread throughout the body. These advanced imaging options, like PET/CT scans, use new imaging agents, provide better pictures of inside the body and whether or not even small amounts of prostate cancer cells are present. Learn more about both conventional and advanced imaging tests that may be used to help diagnose prostate cancer.Learn more about additional diagnostic tests that may provide more information, some of which may help determine if you need a biopsy. Have you been diagnosed with prostate cancer? ZERO provides resources and support to help people with prostate cancer find a path forward. Start with our Newly Diagnosed Patient Guide. Download the Newly Diagnosed Patient Guide
How is prostate cancer diagnosed? Diagnosis is where your medical team verifies that prostate cancer is present, sees how aggressive the form of cancer is, and determines whether it has spread into the surrounding body.When a PSA blood test shows elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen in your body, or a digital rectal exam (DRE) appears abnormal, further testing will be needed. A biopsy is a procedure where your doctor removes a tissue sample from your prostate, and a pathologist examines the tissue to verify the presence of cancer and begin to understand the nature of your disease.From this test, your medical team can begin to see whether the cancer is aggressive, if it shows signs of having spread, and help inform your next steps in terms of the right treatment. Your doctor will look at all of your test results, your symptoms, your family history and recommend which, if any, additional tests you may need.
Learn more about diagnosing prostate cancer Expand All What is a prostate biopsy? A prostate biopsy removes samples of tissue from the prostate in order to diagnose prostate cancer. The doctor will take 12 or more "core" samples from different parts of the prostate using a fine needle. This is called a core needle biopsy. Ultrasound is often used to guide the needle and limit damage to surrounding tissue.There are three different types of prostate biopsies:Transrectal – This is the most common biopsy procedure. The doctor – with the guidance of an ultrasound device – inserts needles through the wall of the rectum and into the prostate to take tissue samples.Transurethral – A lighted tiny lens is inserted into the urethra to allow the doctor to see the prostate and then uses a microscopic cutting loop to take samples of tissue.Transperineal – The doctor makes an incision in the perineum (the area between the anus and scrotum) and inserts a needle to take tissue cores of the prostate.The tissue taken during the biopsy is examined by a pathologist to determine if cancer is present. What do my biopsy results mean? A negative biopsy indicates that none of the biopsy samples found any evidence of prostate cancer. This is usually good news—however, this does not necessarily mean that there is no prostate cancer present. Your doctor may want to continue to monitor your PSA levels or do a repeat biopsy in the future.A positive biopsy indicates that there is evidence of prostate cancer. This would be considered a diagnosis of prostate cancer. The biopsy results are used to determine the stage and grade of the tumor. These provide information on the approximate location and size of the cancer, and how aggressive it may be. What are other prostate cancer diagnostic tests? "If we can see it, we can treat it."A variety of conventional tests can be used to help find prostate cancer in the body. Conventional imaging, like ultrasound, MRI scans, CT scans, and bone scans can help determine if and where the prostate cancer has spread, plan treatment, or find out if treatment is working.Recently, advances in imaging have made it easier to find prostate cancer that has spread throughout the body. These advanced imaging options, like PET/CT scans, use new imaging agents, provide better pictures of inside the body and whether or not even small amounts of prostate cancer cells are present. Learn more about both conventional and advanced imaging tests that may be used to help diagnose prostate cancer.Learn more about additional diagnostic tests that may provide more information, some of which may help determine if you need a biopsy.
Have you been diagnosed with prostate cancer? ZERO provides resources and support to help people with prostate cancer find a path forward. Start with our Newly Diagnosed Patient Guide. Download the Newly Diagnosed Patient Guide
