Prostate biopsy: What to expect
Here are the benefits, risks, and uncertainties of the only diagnostic procedure that can tell you whether you have prostate cancer.
Harvard Men's Health WatchOnly a prostate biopsy can confirm the actual presence of cancer. That requires removing snippets of tissue from the prostate with a needle and checking them for cancerous cells under the microscope. Biopsy, however routine it may seem, is still an invasive procedure with risks. The biopsy needle passes through the rectal wall to get to the prostate, which can spread bacteria or an infection to the prostate gland or bloodstream. Additional risks include pain and erectile or urinary problems.
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