Cancer Care

Prostate Cancer Screening

Recommendations for how often men should be screened for prostate cancer vary. You should speak with your doctor about the best screening plan for you, taking into account the presence of any symptoms and factors that may increase your prostate cancer risk. Initial prostate cancer screening includes a blood test to measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and a digital rectal prostate exam. Although an elevated PSA level may indicate the presence of prostate cancer, PSA can also rise if you have certain benign (non-cancerous) prostate changes, such as an enlarged prostate.

How we diagnose prostate cancer

We promote shared decision-making between you and your doctor regarding screening tests and biopsy decisions. Our physicians routinely use advanced blood and urine tests to help determine which changes in PSA levels warrant further evaluation and to determine if you need a prostate biopsy. This approach optimizes our ability to detect aggressive cancers, avoid unnecessary procedures, and minimize the risk of detecting tumors that may not affect your health.

When a prostate biopsy is needed, we offer an advanced biopsy procedure called transperineal biopsy with MRI fusion. During the procedure, a needle is inserted through the perineum into the prostate gland to remove a small piece of tissue. Ultrasound and MRI images are combined (fused) in real time to provide precise guidance on placement of the needle in suspicious-looking areas of the prostate. The tissue sample is then evaluated by a pathologist for the presence of cancer cells.