How to Test for Prostate Cancer

Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
Updated on June 24, 2025
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For the examination of prostate cancer, the first and very important method is the digital rectal examination, which can also serve as a screening method for prostate cancer. If a prostate lump is detected through digital rectal examination, it is necessary to perform a biopsy via transrectal or perineal puncture, as the puncture biopsy is considered the gold standard for confirming prostate cancer. Clinically, the tumor marker PSA for prostate cancer is also combined, which has great clinical significance as it is the most specific and sensitive tumor marker for prostate cancer. Therefore, prostate cancer can be diagnosed by combining the PSA test with digital rectal examination and puncture biopsy.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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What are the late-stage symptoms of prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a common malignant tumor in the urinary system. The late-stage symptoms of prostate cancer include the following aspects: Many patients experience urinary symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination due to tumor obstruction. Additionally, some patients experience slow urination, difficulty urinating, and even severe urinary retention. A few patients may have painless or painful hematuria. Some patients, due to tumor compression or invasion, experience enlargement and pain of the inguinal lymph nodes, as well as swelling of the lower limbs. Some patients develop bone metastases, clinically manifesting as pain, reduced sensation, or paralysis. Some patients with prostate cancer develop pulmonary metastases, leading to clinical respiratory symptoms such as cough, chest tightness, breathlessness, and difficulty breathing.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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Can prostate cancer be detected by color ultrasound?

Ultrasound is also a method for screening prostate cancer, but it is generally combined with Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for a comprehensive consideration in prostate cancer screening. If prostate nodules are found during a prostate color Doppler ultrasound, the differentiation between prostate cancer and benign prostatic nodules can be aided by the variations in internal echoes, but this is only a reference and cannot be 100% certain. Thus, in clinical practice, it is also combined with PSA for a comprehensive evaluation. Generally, a PSA greater than 10 suggests a higher likelihood of malignancy. The diagnosis of prostate cancer requires a biopsy to confirm the pathology.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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Is there a treatment for prostate cancer?

The treatment methods for prostate cancer include surgery, radical surgery, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, and chemotherapy. The choice of treatment is related to the stage of the cancer, as different stages require different treatment plans. Early-stage prostate cancer patients can choose radical surgery or radical radiotherapy. For patients with advanced prostate cancer, the first choice of treatment is endocrine therapy, and chemotherapy can be used after endocrine therapy fails, or some palliative radiotherapy, etc., depending on the specific situation.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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Can prostate cancer be cured?

Prostate cancer, whether it can be cured or not, depends on the specific analysis of the patient with prostate cancer. If it is an early-stage patient, meaning there is no metastasis to distant organs, and it is assessed that radical surgery or radical radiotherapy can be performed, then these early-stage prostate cancer patients still have the hope of being cured through these treatment methods. However, for patients with advanced prostate cancer, such as those who are diagnosed with multiple bone metastases at the onset—a very common clinical occurrence, prostate cancer combined with bone metastasis is very common—these advanced-stage prostate cancer patients cannot be cured through treatment. The purpose of treatment is to alleviate the patient's pain and extend the patient's survival, but these advanced-stage patients cannot be cured.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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Can prostate cancer be cured?

Early-stage prostate cancer patients can achieve a cure through radical surgery or radical radiotherapy and other treatment methods. Therefore, whether prostate cancer can be cured is related to the stage of the patient's condition. Early-stage prostate cancer patients can be cured through radical surgery or radical radiotherapy. If the cancer is diagnosed at a late stage, with extensive pelvic metastasis or multiple bone metastases, treatment for these late-stage prostate cancer patients primarily revolves around endocrine therapy. Most patients respond well to endocrine treatment; however, for these late-stage prostate cancer patients, the treatment aims to alleviate symptoms and extend survival. Through these treatments, a cure is not achievable.