Rectal swab b/f biopsy with high PSA

by Terry
(Chicago, IL )

QUESTION: High PSA.

ANSWER: Hi Terri,

You have to know that rectal swab and the prostate biopsy, made with forceps are common cause of PSA elevation. This is very frequent of those, who have prostate problems from several months.

Remember that the PSA blood test is estimated before prostate biopsy, before putting a rectal swab and before rectal examination.

The reason why I’m telling you this is because the PSA (prostate specific antigen) is molecule found only related to the prostate. When the prostate is massaged, the prostatic tissue gets small damages, even microscopically small damages.

However, these damages are quite big for the PSA molecule to go out of the prostate. This is leading to an elevation of the PSA in the blood. The situation is similar, when there is a rectal swab inserted.

Regarding the prostate biopsy the situation is a little bit different. During a prostate biopsy, the doctors are taking small piece of your prostate.

This is damaging the integrity of the prostate, and the needle, with which is taken a piece of your prostate is making big enough whole for the PSA molecules to get out of the prostate and to enter the blood stream, leading to PSA elevation.

You have to know that these results are false negative, which means that they have to be avoided. Result like this, may lead the doctor to another wrong diagnose, which will be followed by wrong treatment.

Hope it helped! All the best!

Dr.Alba

CONCERN

Can this cause spread of cancer?



REPLY: Hi Esther,

With regards to causing cancer, the medical team does not have the same idea. Generally thinking, biopsy does not cause spread of cancer.

However, depending on the related prostate problems and the way the biopsy is conducted, there is another concern for the spread of cancer.

Doctors would evaluate the patient's health condition to determine whether to conduct biopsy or rectal swab and what benefits one can get from the results.

If the patient is in the terminal phase, there is no benefit from doing biopsy. However, when the patient has big chances for survival, the biopsy would determine the right diagnosis and decision.

Hope it helped!

Dr.Alba

What about if you have blood in your semen but you did not take the prostate biopsy, and still your not in the age of 45 to 50?

by Arow

QUESTION: What about if you have blood in your semen but you did not take the prostate biopsy, and still your not in the age of 45 to 50?



ANSWER: Hi Arow,

You have to remember that blood in the semen appears not only after prostate biopsy, but during other conditions, some of which are dangerous and others are benign.

At first, I will begin with those conditions, which are not going to damage your organism.

The most common cause of blood in the semen (hematospermia) is the infection of the genitourinary system.

This condition is treated with antibiotics, just right after the identification of the bacteria, which is causing it.

My advice is to talk with your doctor about this condition, because it occurs quite often. This condition is observed mainly in young patients, because of their frequent sexual activity.

Second quite common benign cause of blood in the semen is the existence of polypus in the urethra.

Most polypuses are asymptomatic, but sometimes their existence is discovered because of the blood in the semen or because of the blood in the urine. The existence of such benign formation can be found be ureteroscopy.

In addition, I have to inform you that sometimes the present of kidney stones in the urethra leads to blood in the semen.

The good thing is that by drinking plenty of water, you can remove the stone from the urethra. However, this condition needs medical attention because sometimes, complications are observed.

The only malignant cause is the existence of primary or metastatic cancer. I want to inform you that if such thing exists in your body, the blood in the semen is going to be your smaller problem.

However, this happens in very small number of patients and mainly in patients, who are above the age of 60.

I think that it would be better for you to talk with your doctor about it, because if it is some kind of infection you have to remove the agent as soon as possible in purpose to avoid further complications.

Hope it helped!

Dr.Alba