Checking the Prostate

I am currently 43. When I go for a physical every year the doctor checks the prostate. He only checks it with a blood test. He does not check it physically. I asked him about that and he said that the blood test is the way to check it. Is that ok? Thank you

[Ash Tewari, MD, M.Ch.]

Thank you for your question. You raise an interesting question about when should a man begin screening for prostate cancer and how should it be done. The AUA (American Urological Association) guidelines call for annual screening of "men 40 years of age or older who have a life expectancy of at least 10 years. Men who wish to be screened should have both a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and a digital rectal exam (DRE)."

It is important for your physician to perform a DRE AFTER the PSA test has been done. Palpating the prostate prior to having a blood draw could artificially elevate the results.

Best of luck.

Ashutosh (Ash) K. Tewari, MD
www.cornellroboticprostate.org

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