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Urology - Prostate Biopsy

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Reasons For a Prostate Biopsy
What Happens During a Prostate Biopsy?
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Reasons For a Prostate Biopsy

Prostate Cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men.  In an attempt to try and detect prostate cancer at an early stage, a blood test known as PSA is used extensively.  PSA stands for prostate specific antigen – a chemical produced in higher quantities in the blood when a prostate cancer is present.

There are three reasons why the PSA may be elevated:

  1. Prostate Cancer
  2. Benign enlargement of the prostate – this is the natural enlargement of the prostate that occurs in most men as they get older.  The enlargement of the prostate may not necessarily be associated with any urinary symptoms or any deterioration in the ‘waterworks’.
  3. Infection of the prostate or urinary system.


In order to determine which of these three causes raises the PSA level in the blood, a biopsy of the prostate is generally necessary.

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