I have put together these important points with the hope that I may help other men become more informed about prostate cancer – and hopefully avoid some of the challenges I have faced.
I would urge other men not to avoid a prostate biopsy if their doctor recommends one. It is important to stay informed and take the health of your prostate seriously.
FYI – When my oncologists were investigating whether I had prostate cancer,
I underwent a transrectal prostate biopsy.
This involved receiving an injection of local anesthetic to reduce the pain. Then a biopsy needle was passed through the wall of my rectum and into my prostate to remove tissue samples so this could be evaluated for cancer.
And yes—even with the local anesthetic, I found the procedure very painful.
Keep yourself informed and hopefully avoid this painful experience.
(1) PSA Blood Test:
A Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test is an important test, but it isn’t perfect.
A man can have a PSA that appears normal and still have prostate cancer and in rare cases this could even be an aggressive cancer.
Important Point # 1 – Don’t rely solely on a PSA test to rule out prostate cancer.
Be mindful of the possibility for false positives.
Note: Doctors use a digital rectal exam (DRE), MRI scans, and sometimes a prostate biopsy to evaluate for prostate cancer when a PSA level is low.
References:
(i) https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/tests.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
(2) MRI:
An MRI can strongly suggest that prostate cancer is present and show where suspicious areas are located, but MRI alone generally cannot reliably determine the exact type of prostate cancer.
The Mayo Clinic states that a prostate MRI cannot tell with certainty whether someone has prostate cancer and that a prostate biopsy is needed for definitive confirmation.
References:
(i) https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/prostate-mri/about/pac-20596560?utm_source=chatgpt.com
(ii) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0302283826021147?utm_source=chatgpt.com
(3) Prostate Biopsy:
Prostate biopsies can provide important information that can’t be determined from an MRI such as:
(a) How aggressive the cancer is
(b) The grade of the cancer
(c) The specific type of prostate cancer.
A prostate biopsy provides prostate tissue samples for a pathologist to examine under a microscope and confirm a prostate cancer diagnosis as well as identify the type of cancer as well as the grade of the cancer.
FYI – In some cases, a prostate MRI may be preferable to the more invasive prostate biopsy procedure. This is especially true if someone is at high risk for side effects or complications from the procedure.
Reference: https://www.healthline.com/health/prostate-cancer/prostate-mri-vs-biopsy#pros-of-a-biopsy
(4) Cancer Grade and Stage:
The cancer grade tells doctors how aggressive the cancer appears.
The Stage tells doctors how far the cancer has spread.
An easier way to remember this is:
The stage of cancer tells where the cancer has travelled.
The grade tells how badly the cancer is behaving.
Reference: https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/what-is-cancer/stage-and-grade
It is important that someone has enough information before they start a cancer treatment. Prostate cancer treatment can involve permanent consequences, including urinary problems, sexual dysfunction and other complications.
Wishing you way more than luck. 🙏
Anthony Aquan-Assee
“Always Believe” 🙏
