Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Advancements

At the Prostate Cancer Foundation they have developed a new biopsy procedure based on a four year study of 747 patients with elevate prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. The director of the Foundation, Michelle Bacioforte, claims, “Men who have negative transrectal biopsies and continue to have elevated PSA levels should consider STPB because 40% will harbor malignancy. Our level of confidence is greatly enhanced with regards to the presence or absence of cancer, and more specifically, the exact location of the cancer within the prostate.” Then researchers utilized an advanced biopsy technique called stereotactic transperineal prostate biopsy (STPB). The biopsy results identified the presence of cancer in 291 (395) of the patients.

"The information obtained from this kind of comprehensive biopsy allows us to design and perform more sophisticated treatment plans", says Dr. Brian Moran, medical director of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Chicago and the Chicago Prostate Cancer Center.  This procedure is also a stepping stone towards focal therapy, where more limited treatment can result in less side effects, yet achieve cure rates equal to more radical forms of treatment. "

Prostate cancer is one of the most common causes of death in men in the western world. In the United States each year 200,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. New advancements in prostate cancer diagnosis are important steps towards saving lives.