Intraoperative Imaging Blog

Symptoms
In the early stages, prostate cancer is usually asymptomatic. As it progresses may receive the following symptoms:
* Frequent urination (especially at night)
* Urinary problems (inability, interruption of urinary stream, weak stream, pain, burning, etc..)
* Painful ejaculation
* Blood in the urine or semen
* Frequent pain and stiffness in the back, hips or pelvis but disappears.
Early prostate cancer is detected by a PSA (English link) or by performing a rectal exam.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Early detection can be achieved by digital rectal examination (DRE) and a study of PSA (prostate specific antigen) that can cause your doctor to order a biopsy of the prostate. For this biopsy using an ultrasound probe inserted into the rectum and a biopsy needle that is directed to different areas of the prostate gland.

If you have prostate cancer diagnosed from a biopsy of the prostate, the physician classifies the disease according to their stage to determine the extent of cancer. To determine whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or bones, the doctor may ask you to do a CT scan of the pelvis or bones.

The most common system for classifying prostate cancer is the Gleason system, which assigns values between two and 10 to cancer. Values between two and four indicate little aggressive, values between five and six indicate a mild aggression, moderate aggression seven states, and values of between eight and 10 indicate that the cancer is highly aggressive.

Another method to measure passes in the blood level of PSA, a protein synthesized exclusively in the prostate with the result that if less than 10 is a little aggressive early cancer and if there is, if by contrast is between the values 10 and 20 should be controlled because it can lead to a moderate risk, and if the index is above 20 may be developed cancer, aggressive treatment is complex or ineffective.

Other appropriate medical examinations or tests for the diagnosis of prostate cancer are:

(ET) transrectal ultrasound measurement: inserted into the rectum a probe that is approximately the size of a finger to check the prostate. The probe bounces sound waves of high energy (ultrasound) in the membranes and tissues of the prostate creating echoes form a picture of body tissues. Then using a transrectal needle biopsy proceeds to these tissues for cancer cells.