Diagnosis & Staging of Urological Cancer
Early prostate screening increases survival rates
Prostate cancer can often be found early by a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE). The PSA blood test measures a protein made by prostate cells. The higher the PSA score, the greater the chance of having prostate cancer. It is important to note that a high PSA score does not mean that you have prostate cancer.
To conduct the DRE, the doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for any irregular or abnormally firm area that might be cancer. DRE is less effective than the PSA blood test in finding prostate cancer, but it can sometimes find cancers in men with normal PSA levels. For this reason, both the PSA and the DRE should be used for finding prostate cancer early.
The chances for surviving prostate cancer increase the earlier it is discovered. Talk to your doctor about getting tested.
How is prostate cancer diagnosed?
Diagnostic testing may include:
Biopsy: a procedure in which a sample of tissue is removed and then examined under a microscope to determine if it is cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign)
Grading: Most pathologists grade prostate cancers according to the Gleason system, which assigns a grade using numbers from 1 to 5, with grade 1 appearing as normal prostate tissue, and grade 5 with cells seeming to be spread throughout the prostate.
