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Diagnosis

An abnormal PSA test or DRE exam indicates the need for further testing, including a biopsy, to determine if the abnormal readings indicate prostate cancer. Before recommending a biopsy, your doctor will probably do other tests to rule out BPH (enlarged prostate) and prostatitis as the source of a rising PSA level.

Biopsy

A Biopsy is an analysis of prostate tissue samples taken from the patient. If your PSA levels are above a certain level, or your DRE reveals a potential tumor, your doctor may recommend a biopsy. Most men who undergo biopsies and further testing after a PSA test do not have prostate cancer.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Prostate MR is the imaging of prostate gland using magnetic resonance (MR) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. The MR scanner, a large magnet, is used to create images of various tissues in the body that a radiologist can use to diagnose abnormalities.

Learn more about Imaging.

Gleason Grading and Scores

If your biopsy results are positive, you will undergo other tests to determine the grade: how aggressive the cancer is, and the stage: how far it may have spread. An accurate and thorough diagnosis is key to making the best decision about treatment.

Grade is a measure of how aggressive your cancer is, in other words, how likely it is to spread quickly. To determine your grade, cell samples from your biopsy are analyzed by a pathologist.

The pathologist looks at the cell samples, and analyzes how much the cancer cells look different from healthy cells.

Staging the Disease

Staging is a measure of how far your cancer has spread. There are several stages of prostate cancer. Cancer stage can have a major impact on what treatment options are available and which options are most effective. The TNM System is the staging system most commonly used to determine the stages of prostate cancer..

Prognosis

Doctors will help you develop your prognosis and discuss the potential outcomes of the treatment options available to you.

Your prognosis should take into account your PSA level, grade and stage of prostate cancer, as well as your age, race, health, and personal and family medical history.

It helps to understand some common prognosis terms used to talk about prognosis, so you can be fully prepared to discuss your options with your doctor. Other prognostic tools predict other odds, such as the likelihood of relapse for patients who have undergone surgery or different kinds of radiation. Some can be used to predict how those odds might change if they added hormone therapy. Others predict the risk of spread to lymph nodes. Your doctor will probably use a number of these tools, depending on your situation.

The Treatment Option Decision Tool in this section uses statistical models to suggest treatment options based on the medical information you provide. Decision tools and statistical models are meant to support your decision making process, not make the decision for you. Only you and your doctor can determine what is the best path for you to take for treatment.