A biopsy is needed to determine if you have prostate cancer. A sample of tissue is removed from the prostate and sent to a lab.
Diagnosing Prostate Cancer
Your doctor may recommend a prostate biopsy if:
- You have high PSA level
- A rectal exam shows a large prostate or a hard, uneven surface
The PSA blood test will also be used to monitor your cancer after treatment. Often, PSA levels will begin to rise before there are any symptoms. An abnormal digital rectal exam may be the only sign of prostate cancer (even if the PSA is normal).
The results are reported using what is called a Gleason grade and a Gleason score. The Gleason grade tells you how fast the cancer might spread. It grades tumors on a scale of one to five. You may have different grades of cancer in one biopsy sample. The two main grades are added together. This gives you the Gleason score. The higher your Gleason score, the more likely the cancer is to have spread past the prostate:
- Scores 2 to 5: Low-grade prostate cancer
- Scores 6 to 7: Intermediate- (or in the middle-) grade cancer. Most prostate cancers fall into this group.
- Scores 8 to 10: High-grade cancer
A CT scan or a bone scan may be ordered by your physician to determine whether the cancer has spread:
Learn More About Prostate Cancer
About Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer Prevention and Risk Factors
Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Learn More About Common Types of Cancer
To learn more about different types of cancer, please review the links below. For additional Saint Francis Cancer Center information or to schedule a consultation with a cancer specialist, please call the Saint Francis HealthLink at 918-488-6688.
Breast Cancer
Colon Cancer
Head and Neck Cancers
Hodgkin's Disease
Leukemia
Lung Cancer
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Prostate Cancer
Skin Cancer
Pediatric Cancers