your anus and check the rear surface of the prostate for abnormalities.
Hardness or a lump, for example, might be a sign of prostate cancer.
Because uncertain results may lead to unnecessary biopsies, and because prostate cancer is often very slow growing and is generally diagnosed late in life (and therefore may have never caused problems even if left untreated), the American Cancer Society does not recommend routine DRE screening for all men at this time.
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Are there other tests for prostate cancer?
There’s a blood screening known as the PSA test. The PSA test is more effective than the digital rectal exam in detecting cancer. Men over 50 should get an annual PSA test, as should men at high risk for prostate cancer at either age 40 or 45, if their results are over 2.5.
What if the doctor finds a lump?
Don’t panic; it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in trouble.
About half of the time, a suspicious bump in the prostate turns out not to be cancer. If both your exam and your PSA test suggest that cancer may be present, your doctor will likely order a biopsy so that a sample of tissue can be examined under a microscope.