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If a man has symptoms or test results that suggest prostate cancer, his doctor asks about his personal and family medical history, performs a physical exam, and may order laboratory tests. The exams and tests may include a digital rectal exam, a urine test to check for blood or infection, and a blood test to measure PSA level.
The doctor also may order other exams:
- Transrectal ultrasound: The doctor inserts a probe into the man's rectum to check for abnormal areas. The probe sends out sound waves that cannot be heard by humans (ultrasound). The sound waves bounce off the prostate, and a computer uses the echoes to create a picture called a sonogram.
- Cystoscopy: The doctor looks into the urethra and bladder through a thin, lighted tube.
- Biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of tissue to look for cancer cells. The doctor inserts a needle through the rectum into the prostate and removes a small amount of tissue (transrectal biopsy). The doctor takes tissue samples from several areas of the prostate. Ultrasound may be used to guide the needle. A pathologist uses a microscope to check for cancer cells in the tissue. A biopsy is the only sure way to diagnose prostate cancer.
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