Category: Biopsy

I’m optimistically predicting a U.S. revolution in prostate biopsies. In some European countries, it has already begun, but on this side of Atlantic we’re still playing catch-up. In our country, the PSA blood test has been a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it has undoubtedly saved lives by red-flagging suspiciously high PSA results; therefore, keep reading

Some men will do just about anything to avoid seeing a doctor until a symptom like pain or bleeding suddenly freaks them out. If you’re one of them, you may be contributing to a shorter life. Many cancers, including prostate cancer (PCa), have no early symptoms, yet that’s when they can still be cured. Failing keep reading

“Look before you leap.” That advice originated centuries before you first heard it at a kid. Its first known use was found in a 1350 Latin manuscript. Then in 1546 it appeared in English from a collect of proverbs. It was good wisdom back then. Today, it’s even better wisdom if a PSA blood test keep reading

Uh oh. All is not well in the world of prostate biopsy. The majority of needle biopsies for suspected prostate cancer (PCa) are performed by urologists using transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guidance. This has been the conventional approach used for decades, but over time... keep reading

Who invented the microscope? Credit for putting multiple lenses in a tube in order to gain a magnified view goes to two Dutch lens makers in the 1590s, Zacharias Jansen and his father, Hans. One of the first uses of microscopy in medicine occurred around 1650 when... keep reading

In the ancient world, there were endless tales about the epic deeds of heroes like Jason, who set out with a band of fellow argonauts to find the Golden Fleece. Today, we know these deeds are myths, but we now have researchers conducting a very real, historic argosy for a liquid biopsy that could diagnose keep reading

Let’s say a real estate investor buys a dilapidated house, intending to tear it down and develop the property with a larger, up-to-date home. Since the house will be demolished, the investor decides to skip going through the rooms for an on-site inspection. If any furnishings were left behind, when the bulldozers come to do keep reading

Your car’s check engine light is a big uh-oh. If it comes on, you probably groan internally. It means taking time out of your busy life to get to a mechanic who can put your car on a computer (possibly for a fee) to access a diagnostic code. But that’s just the first step. Now keep reading

No one can argue with the fact that the earlier prostate cancer (PCa) is diagnosed, the more treatment options there are, and chances for complete cancer control are improved. With this in mind, men are encouraged to get their PSA checked annually. If the test results in a suspiciously high or rising number, a doctor keep reading

Anxiety before a conventional TRUS (transrectal ultrasound guided) biopsy of the prostate is normal and natural. It’s no surprise that the prospect of being diagnosed with prostate cancer makes men nervous. However, it may come as a shock to know cancer is often not the main cause of pre-biopsy jitters. For a lot of men, keep reading