Prostate biopsy

Prostate biopsy is a procedure in which small samples are removed from a man's prostate gland to be tested for the presence of cancer. It is typically performed when the scores from a PSA blood test rise to a level that is associated with the possible presence of prostate cancer.

The procedure requires a local anesthetic, with fifty-five percent of men reporting discomfort during the biopsy. The main usual complication is light bleeding in the urine, stool and ejaculate for a short time (days) afterwards.

The procedure is traditionally done with tactile finger guidance. Ultrasound guided prostate biopsy is has now become the gold standard.

Gleason score
The tissue samples are then examined under a microscope to determine whether cancer cells are present, and to evaluate the microscopic features (or Gleason score) of any cancer found.

Tumor markers
Tissue samples can be stained for the presence of PSA and other tumor markers in order to determine the origin of maligant cells that have metastasized.