Prostate biopsy

The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped gland in males that produces fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. A prostate biopsy is a procedure to remove samples of suspicious tissue from the prostate. A prostate biopsy involves using thin needles to take small samples of tissue from the prostate. The tissue is then looked at under a microscope to check for cancer. During a prostate biopsy, a needle is used to collect a number of tissue samples from your prostate gland.

The procedure involves taking a sample of prostate tissue and evaluating it under a microscope. The needle is usually inserted through the rectal wall and transrectal ultrasound is very helpful. To determine the presence or absence of cancer cells, your doctor must take 6 to 13 samples of prostate tissue from different areas of the prostate. The biopsy samples will be looked at under a microscope to check for any cancer cells. Your doctor will be sent a report, called a pathology report, with the results. The results will show whether any cancer was found. They may also show how many biopsy samples contained cancer and how much cancer was present in each sample. It can take up to two weeks to get the results of the biopsy. Ask your doctor or nurse when you’re likely to get the results.

A prostate biopsy is the best and the only way to find out for certain if you have cancer inside your prostate. It can help find out how aggressive any cancer might be – in other words, how likely it is to spread. It can help your doctor decide which treatment options may be suitable for you.

Prostate biopsy is not a routine test. It is performed in the event of specific symptoms and abnormalities in the results of early prostate cancer detection tests – when PSA levels are above normal.

Before the biopsy, you should tell your doctor or nurse if you’re taking any medicines, particularly antibiotics or medicines that thin the blood.

You may be given some antibiotics to take before your biopsy, either as tablets or an injection, to help prevent infection. You might also be given some antibiotic tablets to take at home after your biopsy. It’s important to take them all so that they work properly.

Due to the fact that the biopsy is invasive, i.e. it violates the continuity of the rectal wall, proper preparation of the patient is required for this examination. It is recommended that the patient remains on an empty stomach for the biopsy, take a laxative and take an antibacterial drug in advance. The type of laxative and the antibacterial drug should be agreed upon in advance with the urologist performing the biopsy.

In the first days after the biopsy, the patient may experience burning, pain in the urethra, red urine, more frequent urination, and weakening of the urine stream. In the event that these symptoms persist or worsen or fever occurs, it is absolutely necessary to contact a urologist.

Some men feel pain or mild discomfort in their back passage for a few days after a biopsy. Others feel a dull ache along the underside of their penis or lower abdomen (stomach area).

Some patients find the biopsy painful, but others have only slight discomfort. Your nurse or doctor may suggest taking mild pain-relieving drugs, such as paracetamol, to help with any pain.

If you have any pain or discomfort that doesn’t go away, talk to your nurse or doctor.

It’s normal to see a small amount of blood in your urine or bowel movements for about two weeks after the procedure. You may also notice blood in your semen for a couple of months – it might look reddish or dark brown. This is normal and should get better by itself. If it takes longer to clear up, or gets worse, you should see a doctor.

Patients treated with drugs from the group of anticoagulants, often used in the treatment of coronary heart disease and hypertension, must inform the urologist performing the biopsy about this fact and stop taking the drugs at least 7 days before the scheduled biopsy. Failure to do so may result in post-biopsy complications.

Some patients might get an infection after their biopsy. It’s very important to take any antibiotics you’re given, as prescribed, to help prevent this.

Symptoms of a urine infection may include:

If you have any of these symptoms: pain or a burning feeling when you urinate, dark or cloudy urine with a strong smell, needing to urinate more often than usual, or pain in your lower abdomen (stomach area), contact your doctor or nurse at the hospital straight away.