If you have symptoms, your doctor will want to know:
Your doctor will see if your symptoms are actually because of:
To determine the cause of your symptoms and to help decide on a course of treatment, your doctor may decide to proceed with:
Why? A digital rectal exam checks for changes in size and appearance. While the majority of prostate cancers affect parts of the prostate that are closer to the rectum, other abnormalities can be detected with a simple touch.
How? To check your prostate, your doctor will ask you to either stand and bend forward or lie on your side with your knees brought up to your chest. He will insert a gloved and lubricated finger into your rectum, pressing against your rectum wall, to feel your prostate to determine its size and detect any hard or abnormal areas. This exam can be uncomfortable for some men, but does not last longer than 10 to 15 seconds.
Results. If your doctor finds that the size of your prostate is larger than expected for your age, it is possible that you are suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, if your doctor finds lumps or abnormalities on the surface of your prostate, it could be cancer. This exam is not fool-proof — a cancerous prostate may feel normal to the touch.
What happens next? If your doctor detects an abnormality, they may order a prostate‑specific antigen (PSA) test. Depending on your PSA results, your doctor may refer you to a specialist, usually an urologist, who will conduct other tests such as a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) prostate biopsy.
The prostate specific antigen (PSA) test measures PSA levels in the blood. A new blood sample is drawn each time you take a PSA test.
Depending on the results, it is possible that you and your doctor may decide to monitor your PSA levels on a regular basis to see if it changes with time.
If the total level of PSA in your blood is extremely high compared to the norm for your age, a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) prostate biopsy may be suggested.
You will need to wait about a week before obtaining the results of your PSA test. While the PSA test is one of the best screening tools for prostate cancer, “false positive” or “false negative” results are still possible.
False-positive
False-negative
If your doctor believes that other tests are needed to confirm whether or not you have prostate problems, he will refer you to an urologist who will make you retake certain tests. It is possible that you will be asked to undergo another PSA test in the near future to see if your PSA levels are increasing. Depending on the results, you will decide together with your doctor what step to take next.
You have questions or concerns? Don’t hesitate. Contact us at 1 855 899-2873 to discuss with one of our nurses specialized in uro-oncology. They are there to listen, support and answer your questions, those of your family or your loved ones. It’s simple and free, like all of our other services.
Also take the time to visit each of our pages on this website, as well as our YouTube channel, in order to get familiar with the disease, our expert lectures and webinars, our section on available resources, the support that is offered to you, our events and ways to get involve to advance the cause.
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The medical content and editorial team at PROCURE
Our team is composed of urologists, nurses certified in uro-oncology with a deep knowledge of prostate cancer and other diseases related to the genitourinary system. Meet our staff by clicking here.
Last medical and editorial review: July 2019
Written by PROCURE. © All rights reserved – 2019
