Prostate cancer examination method

How to check for prostate cancer? The appearance of prostate cancer is very harmful to men and needs to be treated in time. However, in clinical practice, some other diseases can easily be confused with prostate cancer, so effective examinations are needed when prostate cancer is suspected. Therefore, let's learn about the prostate cancer examination methods together.

Prostate cancer screening methods:

Laboratory View

① Serum prostate-specific antigen (pSA) increases, but in about 30% of patients, pSA may not increase, but is not stable within the normal range (normal range & 4.0ng/ml). If pSA determination is combined with digital rectal examination (DRE), the detection rate will be significantly improved.

② Increased serum acid phosphatase is related to prostate cancer metastasis, but lacks specificity. In recent years, radioimmunoassay can improve its specificity. Prostate acid phosphatase monoclonal antibody and prostate antigen assay need to improve their specificity. 20% to 70% of stage C prostate cancer have increased acid phosphatase, and lymphatic metastasis also increases. If it continues to increase, there must be bone metastasis. Serum acid phosphatase and increased prostate acid phosphatase decrease after surgery, which is a sign of a better prognosis. Prostate cancer acid phosphatase in the capsule is secreted by prostate cells and secreted through the prostate ducts. In prostate cancer, the acid phosphatase produced by cancer cells has no ductal discharge or the duct is blocked by cancerous lesions, and the enzyme is absorbed into the blood circulation, resulting in an increase in acid phosphatase.

Image View

1.Ultrasound is used to check for low-echo nodules in the prostate, but they must be distinguished from inflammation or stones.

2. Radionuclide bone scanning can often reveal metastatic lesions at an early stage compared to X-rays.

3. CT or MRI examinations can show changes in the shape of the prostate, tumors, and metastasis. The main CT manifestations of prostate cancer are low-density areas with unclear enhancement during enhanced scanning, irregular capsules, and missing fat around the glands. After the seminal vesicles are invaded, the seminal vesicles may become 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 there is tumor metastasis in the pelvic lymph nodes, CT can distinguish whether metastasis has occurred based on the changes in the size of the pelvic lymph nodes.

The T2-weighted sequence is the primary MRI sequence used for prostate cancer examination. On T2-weighted images, if a low-signal damaged area appears within the high-signal peripheral band of the prostate, if the prostate band structure is damaged, and the distance between the peripheral band and the base band is lost, prostate cancer should be considered.

4. Prostate biopsy can be used as a method to diagnose prostate cancer. Failure to remove the tumor tissue does not negate the diagnosis.

Warm reminder: If you find yourself experiencing physical discomfort in your daily life, or if you suspect you have prostate cancer, you are advised to go to a regular hospital for the above tests that can diagnose prostate cancer. Remember not to misdiagnose prostate cancer due to improper examination methods, as this will cause immeasurable harm to your body.