Prostate cancer screening methods

Prostate puncture guided by transrectal B-ultrasound is the primary method for diagnosing prostate cancer. The method is to use puncture biopsy to puncture the prostate in different areas under the positioning of the transrectal B-ultrasound probe, especially to focus on the suspicious area for inspection, and take out the strip-shaped tissue for pathological analysis. The discovery of tumor cells in the puncture is called a positive result, otherwise it is called a negative result. The earliest method used was the 6-needle puncture method, which has now gradually been replaced by the 8-needle or 10-needle puncture method. The inspection of prostate cancer is relatively simple and can be divided into initial screening and detailed inspection.

1. The initial screening is similar to a physical examination, that is, to see if you have the disease. The classic method is the "triple", that is, rectal digital examination, pSA and transrectal ultrasound examination. The method is very simple, but the significance is great. If you really have prostate cancer, basically these three tests will show abnormalities.

2. If the results of the three tests are all in the "grey value" area, that is, the proportion of cancer and health is almost the same, and it is difficult to determine, further examination is needed. The current gold standard is prostate puncture, that is, to arrange a biopsy. If the biopsy result is positive, the diagnosis of cancer is 100%. The next step is some pre-treatment examinations, that is, detailed examinations, such as CT and MRI, to provide staging and provide a basis for future treatment plans.

3. CT or MRI examination can show changes in the shape of the prostate, tumors and metastasis. The main CT manifestations of prostate cancer are low-density areas with insignificant enhancement during enhanced scanning, irregular capsules, and missing fat around the glands. After the seminal vesicles are invaded, the seminal vesicle boundaries may be blurred, the bladder-seminal vesicle angle may be missing or the seminal vesicles may be enlarged. When the tumor invades the bladder or the organs around the prostate, the pelvic CT may show corresponding changes. When the pelvic lymph nodes have metastasis, CT can judge whether metastasis has occurred based on the changes in the size of the pelvic lymph nodes.

Prostate puncture is an invasive examination, so there may be complications such as infection and bleeding, but it is a routine examination to diagnose prostate cancer. The pain is generally not obvious, and patients do not need to be overly frightened. Prostate cancer has no typical clinical manifestations. This is because prostate cancer often occurs in the peripheral zone of the prostate. Early prostate cancer is mostly limited to the prostate and does not invade the surrounding tissues of the prostate. Usually, there are no obvious clinical manifestations. However, as the tumor continues to develop, it will show a variety of different clinical manifestations.