Prostate cancer biopsy: Learn the facts and be informed.

By ShareMD Connect

Receiving and understanding a prostate cancer diagnosis isn’t always easy.

The possibility of a diagnosis generally starts with a PSA test. This prostate-specific antigen test tests for the presence of an antigen in the prostate, where heightened levels can indicate the presence of cancer. However, a biopsy is necessary to confirm if the cause is cancer or benign after heightened levels are found on a PSA test.

During a prostate biopsy, a small piece of tissue from the prostate is removed and examined in a lab for cancerous cells. A core needle biopsy, performed by a urologist, is the most common method of taking the sample. The needle is inserted either through the rectum wall or through the skin between the scrotum and the anus. Typically 12 cores from different parts of the prostate are taken to get the most comprehensive data possible.

The entire process is fast, effective, and relatively painless thanks to numbing agents used at the insertion site. Though you may experience some latent soreness and blood in the urine, it is an otherwise very safe and efficient procedure.

Receiving the results of the biopsy can take anywhere from two to three days to a week. The samples removed from the prostate are sent to a laboratory for analysis under a microscope. Results may come back in one of three ways: ‘positive for cancer,’ ‘negative for cancer,’ or ‘suspicious.’ 

Of course, ‘negative for cancer’ is the desired result, but even with professional lab analysis, a biopsy sometimes delivers a false negative. The biopsy needle may pass through cancerous cells, which may go unnoticed. However, your doctor may deem it necessary to conduct further tests if they suspect you may be at risk for prostate cancer.

If your biopsy result is positive, the cancer will be graded based on the Gleason system. The grade of the tumor is based on the level of abnormality as it appears under the microscope. Gleason grades range from 1, meaning minimally abnormal, to 5, being extremely abnormal. Most cancer diagnoses fall between these two polar categories at a 2 or 3.

Prostates with two different grades are assigned a Gleason sum, which means adding both values together. As the understanding of prostate cancer has progressed, these sums have developed into grade groups.

Your doctor may also order imaging to assess prostate cancer, including ultrasounds, MRIs, bone scans, and CT scans, to evaluate whether cancer cells have spread.

Cancer can be frightening, but a good understanding of the process helps relieve some of the fear and uncertainty. Our ShareMD Nurse Education Team specializing in prostate cancer is standing by to help you understand more about prostate cancer and treatment options or help you navigate specialty care. Schedule your free call and feel more confident in your care decisions today.