Prostate cancer affects as many as one out of every nine men in America. 

Specialists at The Lefcourt Family Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center recommend shared decision-making between you and your doctor to determine if and when screening is right for you. Prostate cancer screening recommendations may differ from person to person; you and your doctor you can determine what is best for you. 

Prostate Cancer Screening

In its earliest, most curable stages, prostate cancer may not cause any noticeable symptoms. Prostate cancer screening helps detect even the smallest changes which could indicate cancer is present. 

Your doctor may recommend one or more of these prostate cancer screening methods: 

• Digital rectal exam (DRE): Doctors perform this prostate exam to identify cancerous changes, such as hard areas or bumps, on your prostate. During a DRE, your doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to manually feel your prostate for any abnormalities. 
• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test: This simple test looks for PSA in the blood. For many men, an elevated PSA level is the first sign of prostate cancer. 
• Blood and urine tests: In addition to PSA, we now have other tests available, such as percent-free PSA, PHI (prostate health index), and the 4K score. Our doctors use these tests to classify patients according to the aggressiveness of their prostate cancers (risk stratification) and to decrease the number of unnecessary biopsies. 

Diagnosing and Staging Prostate Cancer

If a screening test suggests you may have prostate cancer, your doctor will discuss whether you should have a prostate biopsy. During this minimally invasive procedure, doctors remove tiny samples of prostate tissue to be analyzed in a laboratory to see if cancer cells are present. Advances in recent years have reduced the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies. 

• Transrectal ultrasound: Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) is used during a prostate biopsy to help guide doctors to specific areas of the prostate. TRUS involves the insertion of a small ultrasound probe into your rectum. 
• MRI/ultrasound fusion-guided prostate biopsy: This advanced technology is more accurate than traditional prostate cancer biopsy. During this two-step process, you'll first have an MRI scan of your prostate. A radiologist evaluates the images, identifying and marking any suspicious areas for further evaluation. A urologist then fuses the images with real-time ultrasound images, producing 3D images of the suspicious areas that can then be targeted during the biopsy. 
• Transperineal prostate biopsy: A procedure that involves using a needle to take small tissue samples from the prostate through the skin between the scrotum and anus. This method reduces the risk of infection compared to other biopsy techniques and allows better access to certain areas of the prostate. The procedure is guided by ultrasound to ensure accuracy and typically takes place under local anesthesia for comfort. 

If a prostate biopsy confirms you have cancer, your doctor may order additional tests to see how advanced it is. This process is called staging and is important to determine the best treatment for you. We will also perform genetic analysis of prostate tumor tissue to gain more information about the biology of your cancer.