Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer, Prostate Cancer Library

Your GP will ask you about your symptoms and will examine you. He or she may also ask you about your medical history and may do some of the following tests or will refer you to a urologist (a surgeon specialising in the urinary system). A digital rectal examination (DRE) is an examination of your prostate. Your doctor will insert a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum (the lower part of the large intestine, ending at the anus) and feel your prostate through the wall of your rectum. If there is prostate cancer, it may feel harder than usual, or knobbly. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test will test the amount of PSA in a sample of your blood. PSA is a protein which is made by both normal and cancerous prostate cells. A high PSA level doesn't always indicate cancer and can be caused by other prostate diseases. In a prostate biopsy, your surgeon will remove a small piece of tissue. The sample will be sent to a laboratory for examination to find out if it's cancer and if so, how fast it's growing. CT, MRI and bone scans can help your surgeon see how far the cancer has spread (if at all). A CT scan uses X-rays to make a three-dimensional picture of your body. An MRI scan uses magnets and radiowaves to produce images of the inside of your body.