incision to take tissue samples from the prostate.
In the transurethral method, a surgeon inserts a flexible tube and viewing device known as a cystoscope into your penis. The tube is sent up to the prostate gland. They’ll then use other instruments to collect tissue from the prostate.
Regardless of which procedure your doctor employs, you’re likely to be given general or local anesthesia to numb any pain. It’s also essential to talk to your doctor about what to expect after the procedure. Some of the common effects include soreness in the rectum, light bleeding from the rectum, and blood in your urine, semen, or stool. If the pain gets worse, you develop a fever, the bleeding gets heavier, or you have difficulty urinating, you should call your doctor immediately.
How The Results Are Used
If the results of the biopsy show that the cells aren’t cancerous, then your doctor is likely to propose regular monitoring to see what happens in the future. The monitoring may include another biopsy, PSA test, or physical examination in a few months.
If the cells are cancerous, the pathologist will use the samples to determine the stage of your prostate cancer. It will also be given a grade from 2 to 10 where the lower end of the scale describes tumors that aren’t aggressive. Staging and grading your cancer will be essential to determining the course of treatment that your doctor will recommend.
Non-aggressive cancer may be treated through surgery as the cancerous cells haven’t spread to any other organs. If the tumors have spread, you may need additional treatment like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy.
A prostate biopsy is how your doctor will determine if you have prostate cancer. Though there are risks, it’s an essential part of getting a diagnosis and determining what kind of treatment you need. If your doctor decides that you need a biopsy, it’s a good idea to have a detailed conversation about what to expect.