Risk of Infections After Prostate Biopsy

The news source is Reuters and the study was conducted by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

A news study was conducted which exposed that the incidence of having infections have escalated after biopsy of the prostate is done.

Biopsies are conducted whenever cancer is suspected, to rule out if it is malignant or not. In men, a biopsy of the prostate is common and usually through the rectum.

In the study, the researchers based their findings on the data gathered by a government-funded expert panel which contained 6.9 percent of men who had a prostate biopsy landed in the hospital within a month while a group of men who didn't get a biopsy but were of similar age, the rate was only 2.7 percent. However, despite the fact that the said study doesn't prove biopsies caused serious complications in four out of a hundred patients still, the results do show an upsurge in infections of the urinary system like prostitis and kidney infections to those who had the procedure done.

According to the researchers, the outcome of the study might push men to needlessly submit their selves for the said procedure which in turn stirred the urologists. Because for the experts, there is no truth that the biopsy itself can cause infection perhaps it should be blamed on the way how it is done aseptically. For instance, performing the biopsy through the rectum possibly introduces bacteria into the prostate or blood stream thus will cause infection.

Another point that the medical experts tried to imply is that maybe the patient had other health issues aside from problems in the prostate. However, the panel cautions that in case a cancer is found, treatment such as radiation or surgery leads to common side effects such as incontinence and impotence but the prostate tumors will never cause trouble if left alone.