Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Methods

At early stages cancer shows no symptoms, therefore prostate cancer is difficult to detect.

Urologist must perform here digital rectal examination of prostate gland. This examination helps to detect induration of prostate and exclude cancerous growths.

Also are performed next examinations:

• identification of PSA rate in blood
• transrectal ultrasound
• biopsy of prostate gland

When prostate cancer is suspected, it is necessary to examine areas where lymph glands are located in order to find if they were affected by cancer or not.

Most important test in cancer diagnostics is PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. Today this test is major method of screening and early detection of prostate cancer.

Unfortunately, PSA is not specific for prostate cancer, its rate may be increased after sexual intercourse, in case of various inflammations in prostate, adenoma, and after various operations. However, often this is the only symptom which helps to suspect cancerous growths in prostate gland.

To exclude false-positive results, there do exist several methods to calculate PSA:
1) pace of PSA rate increase (increase by 0,75ng/ml and more each year may be an indication of prostate cancer)
2) age norms of PSA rate (PSA rate increases with aging as prostate gland increases in its size, however its rate must be no more than 4ng/ml at age of 50)
3) rates of free and connected PSA (correlation between these rates is most significant criteria of prostate cancer diagnostics)

Next stage in prostate cancer diagnostics after PSA test is transrectal ultrasound which shows size of prostate gland, indurations and nodular lumps. Transrectal ultrasound helps more precise than digital rectal examination to detect stage of prostate cancer.

Biopsy of prostate cancer is major method to confirm prostate cancer diagnosis. It is performed along with ultrasound examination. In biopsy is used special device which is inserted into rectum to take several (6 – 12) fragments of prostate gland. Then is performed microscopic examination to define types of cells. Fragments where nodular lumps were found are examined more carefully. In case biopsy showed negative result, but in the course of several months PSA rate is increased, then PSA test is made once again.

After diagnosis of prostate cancer is made computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pelvis organs, and also scanning of bones to detect metastasis.