The Doctor's Examination
If you are having symptoms, the doctor will ask you about your medical history and your symptoms and then perform a physical examination which will include a DRE. The doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the back part of your prostate. He feels for hard or lumpy areas. The exam takes only a minute or so to do and causes only a little discomfort. He also may order a blood test called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. The level of PSA in the blood rises when a man has prostate cancer, BPH, or an infection. The doctor also will check your urine for any sign of blood or infection. If any abnormalities are suspected he will probably order an ultrasound of your prostate, called a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS). He may perform a cystoscopy, in which he looks into the urethra through a thin, lighted tube. Last, if cancer cannot be ruled out, the doctor may recommend a biopsy, in which he inserts a needle into the prostate, guided by ultrasound, to remove a small piece of tissue in the area of the apparent abnormality. This is the only sure way to know if the problem is cancer.
