Biopsy

Udy

I have enlarged prostate. My doctor wants to find out if the enlargement is benign or cancerous. He has advised biopsy. If the enlargement is cancerous, will the biopsy cause it to spread?

VascodaGama

Probabilities

Udy

You are not alone with such concern for cancer spread possibility through a hole in the prostate. We all got the same experience on diagnosis but there is no relevant study implying such possibility.Tinny cancer cells would have a hard time to survive in places with no blood supply or different "habitat".

In this link they say this;

“The chances that using a small needle to remove a piece of the tissue (needle biopsy) may cause a cancer to spread are very low. In the past, larger needles were used for biopsies, and the chance of spread was higher.”

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/treatmenttypes/surgery/surgery-surgery-and-cancer-spread

Here is a discussion in another PCa dedicated forum;
http://www.cancerforums.net/threads/8819-does-prostate-biopsy-spread-cancer

 

I wonder what the reason for the biopsy is. Is there any persistent symptom after a treatment?

You could get confirmation on hyperplasia through other means of testing by ruling out cancer. PSA (free and total), PC3 testing and PAP are not invasive and can predict cancer.

You could also get a protocol of anti inflammatory drugs to rule out infection, in case of an higher PSA.

Wishing you peace of mind.

 

VGama 

JEHJR

Biopsy or alternitives

One of the down sides I read about after my biopsies was if I wanted to have an MRI it maybe comprimised because of the blood around the prostate. I read about a new test PCA3. Yoyu may want to research this, seemed interesting. Did not know if would have helped me.

 

http://www.pca3.org/public/