Prostate Cancer: The Dreaded Prostate Biopsy and Alternatives

Many men don’t understand that they have a decision when a physician suggests a prostate biopsy. Often they remain there in shock when told that they will need a biopsy. This scenario is played out through a million times annually though out the United States every year. The fact that alternative analysis techniques are not discussed or even brought on the patient’s attention is impressive. It is important to be aware that medical professionals have relied upon prostate biopsies since the first one performed in 1930. A great deal has changed to eighty years however the prostate biopsy is still probably the most relied upon analysis process. Today revenue generation from prostate biopsies is estimated at three billion dollars yearly in the US. If you’ve ever discovered yourself facing a biopsy you may be very impressed how many health care providers fail to go over the solutions to a prostate biopsy. In addition no one by chance discusses the basic fact that males that undergo a prostate biopsy often experience side effects because of the procedure itself.

Prostate cancer is really serious and statistically it is projected that a single in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Within this group of men ten % will have a life threatening or maybe dangerous type of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death related to cancer. In 2010, it is believed that 32,050 males die each year from prostate cancer in the United States. The most popular test for just a prostate cancer screening is a blood test known as the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. This might be in combination with or without having a DRE (digital rectal exam). If ever the results of these assessments indicate the potential for cancer it’s presently common that medical professionals will proceed or even suggest a prostate biopsy.

A prostate biopsy is an invasive treatment involving a series of needles and puncture wounds for the prostate. Most males worry a biopsy of the prostate due to the point that in the event cancer occurs research has discovered the biopsy increases inflammation and the progression and spread of cancer. Moreover the largest danger of this particular invasive process occurs once the tissue samples, acquired through puncture of the prostate gland, prostadine scam miss the cancerous cells. Basically 75 % of cancers are detected through a patient’s original biopsy. Often this leads to a number of invasive biopsies commonly spaced from 6 weeks to 3 months apart. Typical costs associated with a prostate biopsy, include both a physician payment and a lab fee, typically ranging from $1500.00 to $3200.00. It’s not too uncommon to enjoy multiple successive prostate biopsies. Of course these biopsies are highly profitable for the medical professional executing the course of action and also for the lab processing the tissue samples. Men who choose to proceed with the biopsy often experience erectile dysfunction and improved urinary issues. The specific biopsy procedure has been proven to predispose males to side effects like difficulty urinating as well as increased waking due to nighttime trips on the bathroom. The degree of side effects in fact increases substantially post the biopsy process. No more than 10 % of the men before the biopsy reported serious side effects. 7 days after the biopsy the percent of men reporting acute side effects increased to 18 %. By week 12 post the biopsy almost 30 % report serious side effects. In addition to severe side effects, 39 % report less acute or maybe average side effects post the biopsy procedure.

These days there is an alternative analysis course of action to an invasive prostate biopsy. As with the traditional Sonogram, also called ultrasound, that is a familiar diagnostic test performed on pregnant women due to the fact that it is safe for the unborn child. The biggest difference would be that the typical sonogram isn’t in color as well as the area of administration. A Power Color Doppler Sonogram (3D CDI-TRUS-‘ Three dimensional color Doppler imaging – trans rectal ultrasound’) could be performed on the prostate and it is painless, safe, and never surgically invasive. Clinical literature substantiates that the 3D CDI-TRUS is a diagnostic strategy with great sensitivity (0.82) and specificity (0.91) for detecting prostate cancers, even when PSA quantities probably won’t be elevated or are in the grey zone. [one] This analysis technique decreases needless biopsies in men with elevated PSA levels without violating cancer detection. The estimated cost of this procedure is about $500. The 3D CDI-TRUS takes only an hour to perform and can be carried out in your doctor’s office. Recovery from this procedure is instantaneous, thus it’s possible you’ll return to work the same day. In general, 3D CDI-TRUS procedures are performed by interventional radiologists.

Another solution non invasive analysis for prostate cancer could be carried out by using a standard MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). The MRI’s accuracy is 89 %. Regardless of the reality that an MRI will over stage the tumor; the majority of physicians believe that an MRI does not provide added info with the results offered from surgically invasive prostate biopsies and PSA data. [2] Recent use and development of MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRI S) expands the diagnostic assessment of prostate cancer outside of the standard info provided by a regular MRI. [3,4,5] This late model technology MRI S uses multiple coils to deliver an even better picture of cancerous tumors and the prostate if present.

You will find options to the surgically invasive prostate biopsy. However it’s up for you to find out what they are. You need to discuss these options with your health care provider. It will be smart to substantiate your debate with the cited articles below.

1. Merkle W., “Successful Early Prostate Cancer Screening by Three-Dimensional Color Doppler Imaging Transrectal Ultrasound: A Prospective Study.” UroToday Int J. 2009 Apr;2(2) doi:10.3834/uij.1944-5784.2009.04.08

2. Andrew C Peterson, MD, FACS, et. al.; Urologic Imaging Without X-rays: Ultrasound, MRI, along with Nuclear Medicine., 2007, Jan 4, http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/455553-overview#showall