Why do I need a prostate biopsy?

Biopsies will be essential to clear up any doubt to the clinical examination and the PSA dosage. Biopsies consist of taking several small fragments of tissue from both lobes of the prostate under ultrasound guidance and having them examined under a microscope by a pathologist.

How is a prostate biopsy performed?

These samples are taken using a special needle, through the patient’s rectum and under local anaesthesia, on an outpatient basis. The biopsies will confirm the cancer diagnosis providing prognostic information on the aggressiveness of the cells (grade of cancer expressed by the Gleason Score).

Source : “Le Cancer de la Prostate”La Ligue contre le cancer – Septembre 2009