A prostate biopsy is removal of a tissue from the prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped gland in men. The removed tissue is sent for testing.
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A prostate biopsy is done if part of the prostate looks suspicious. It is often done after abnormal results from:
A prostate biopsy is the only way to find out if there are cancer cells.
Problems from the procedure may occur, but all procedures have some risk. Your doctor will review potential problems, like:
Things that may increase the risk of problems include:
You may be asked to:
The type of anesthesia will be based on type of procedure. It may be one of the following:
There are different types of surgery. The choice is made based on your health goals and where the growth is. Choices include:
About 30 minutes
You may be sore at the site. Pain and discomfort after the procedure can be managed with medicine.
Some activity will need to be avoided for 1 to 2 days.
The sample will be examined under a microscope. The doctor will follow up on the results.
Call your doctor if any of these occur:
If you think you have an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.
National Cancer Institute
https://www.cancer.gov
Urology Care Foundation
http://www.urologyhealth.org
Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca
Prostate Cancer Canada
http://www.prostatecancer.ca
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6/2/2011 DynaMed Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T905141/Treatment-for-tobacco-use: Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO. Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.
7/13/2016 DynaMed Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T905693/Prostate-biopsy: Gershman B, Van Houten HK, Herrin J, et al. Impact of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening trials and revised PSA screening guidelines on rates of prostate biopsy and postbiopsy complications. Eur Urol. [Epub ahead of print] 2016 Mar 16.
Last reviewed September 2019 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Nicole Meregian, PA
Last Updated: 9/25/2020