10 Things To Know Before Getting A Prostate Biopsy after a High PSA reading

1. You’re not crazy for not wanting a prostate biopsy. Prostate biopsies are painful and uncomfortable weeks after the procedure. Despite that, you may still need one.
2. A prostate biopsy can cause erectile dysfunction (ED) in some cases. While I understand no man wants ED, a biopsy is the ONLY way to confirm if you have prostate cancer or not. The low likelihood of ED should not deter you from getting a prostate biopsy if you need one.
3. The idea that prostate biopsies cause cancer spreading (known as tracking or needle seeding) is theoretically probable but hard to prove. It has never been proven.
4. There is only one gold-standard way of knowing if you have prostate cancer, and that is through a prostate biopsy. New urine tests, blood tests, and Imagings help determine if cancer is likely to harbor in your prostate, but only a biopsy can be used for a conclusive diagnosis.
5. Beware of charlatans wanting to treat your “prostate cancer” without a biopsy. That is not recommended.
6. There is blood in your pee and semen after a biopsy for up to two weeks.
7. Up to 25% of men can develop lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after a prostate biopsy.
8. Despite taking antibiotics before and after a prostate biopsy, infections still can occur. If a fever occurs after a prostate biopsy, don’t bother taking anything for the fever; just go to the emergency room immediately.
9. A prostate MRI may help determine if a biopsy is needed.
10. Other lab tests like the 4K Score, Select MDx, and ExosomeDx urine test (also known as a liquid biopsy)  are all valuable tools before a biopsy to determine if you need one.

A prostate biopsy should be done only when absolutely necessary, and numerous steps should be taken beyond just PSA values before getting one. Prostate cancer overscreening is a problem, but missing catching aggressive abnormal cells in the gland is also. The good news is that knowing if a prostate biopsy is absolutely necessary with the advanced technology and lab tests available is easier than ever. If your PSA is high, breathe deeply, stay calm and take the appropriate action. You will be fine.

If you need personalized help navigating through the prostate biopsy decision and think my expertise would be valuable for a consult, contact my practice manager (PM) at pm@drgeo.com or call 646-754-2463.

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