There are several ways to check the prostate, the most common being the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE).
PSA Test
The PSA test involves taking a small quantity of blood and measuring prostate-specific antigen levels in the blood. Many men have this test taken along with other tests for sugar, thyroid and cholesterol, and you will hardly feel a thing!
There is much debate currently about the usefulness of the PSA test, and yes, it isn’t foolproof, but then again, neither are many screening tests. We can say that it is currently the best indicator we have, and until there is something more practical, isn’t it better to have a non-definitive test than no test?
Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)
The prostate is not the most accessible organ to find! It is located inside, straight up, from a point halfway between the base of the scrotum (the bag of skin containing the testicles) and the rectum (back passage). Its location rules out external examination.
The DRE requires the doctor or specialist to insert a gloved finger into the back passage and feel the condition of the prostate gland.
We know that the DRE sounds horrible, intrusive, and undignified, but trust us, a moment of embarrassment is a small price to pay for knowing what is going on with your prostate and acting accordingly.
Rectal ultrasound
If you are having your prostate gland examined, you will have a rectal ultrasound. This involves a small ultrasound microphone being put into your back passage to get a clearer picture of the prostate. More often than not, this is rather uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t hurt and won’t take long.
Needle biopsy
If a lump or hardening of your prostate is found during your DRE, your specialist may take a sample of cells (a biopsy) to examine under a microscope.
The biopsy is done in the outpatient department, and before you have it, you will be told what will happen and shown the ultrasound and the tiny needle used to take the tissue samples (the biopsy).
Please do remember that you always have a choice over your treatment; if you feel uncomfortable about the biopsy, then talk to your urologist, or if you don’t feel able, give the Cancerbackup helpline a call on 0808 800 1234, specialist cancer nurses run this and can answer any question you may have about all aspects of your treatment.
