I was a bit freaked out the day I heard about the various cancers I might have and the biopsy that may be to come. Of course, I turned to Google for answers. It’s has been a great help, but also a big curse. What I’ve learned is a bit surprising.
To most urologists, a prostate biopsy is routine. They just do them. A lot of them. It’s a relatively quick, outpatient procedure done in their office, usually taking only 20 minutes or so. Then you’re on your way with no restrictions, but $1000 lighter, plus or minus. Of course, usually that’s covered by insurance, so many people don’t care. You may know someone who had a biopsy and, being a man, they probably said it was no big deal. Heck, around a million prostate biopsy procedures are done each year in the USA alone. That’s a big business, measured in billions. Still, I didn’t have any lumps. My PSA wasn’t at an alarmingly high level and hadn’t increased much in the last year. I don’t have any other symptoms at all, urinary, sexual or otherwise. What was a biopsy and do they just do them as a matter of routine procedure on anyone who might have any risk whatsoever? Continue reading Biopsies Part I: What they won’t tell unless you ask