Morbidity and psychological impact of prostate biopsy: the future calls for a change

Asian J Androl. 2014 May-Jun;16(3):415-7. doi: 10.4103/1008-682X.126388.

Abstract

Currently transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-Bx) is one of the most common urological procedures, with more than 1 million performed per year in Europe and the United States. Among patients undergoing TRUS-Bx, approximately one-third will receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa), while two-thirds receive a negative result on initial biopsy. Negative biopsy patients maintain an estimated risk of repeated biopsy of 12% at 1 year and 38% at 5 years. Standard TRUS-Bx is likely to systematically miss significant tumors, particularly in the anterior and apical parts of the gland. A crucial aim of urologists in the next decade is to increase the accuracy of the procedure and avoid the use of inappropriate biopsies.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prostate / pathology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Stress, Psychological*