This 2014 study investigated the effects of core needle biopsy (CNB) on the dissemination of epithelial cellular material (ECM) into the bloodstream in patients with prostate cancer. Blood samples from 23 prostate cancer patients and 15 controls were analyzed before and after CNB. The results demonstrated a significant increase in
This 2020 retrospective study analyzed 234,819 prostate biopsy episodes among Medicare fee-for-service patients between January 2014 and December 2015. The average cost per biopsy episode was $2,020, with nearly half of the costs (46%) incurred in the 30 days following the procedure. Biopsies performed in office settings were less expensive
This observational study examined the prevalence of occult prostate cancer in 77 men with low serum testosterone levels, normal digital rectal examination (DRE) results, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of 4.0 ng/mL or less. Prostate cancer was detected in 14% of participants, with prevalence increasing to 29% in men aged
This observational study investigated the prevalence of prostate cancer in 345 hypogonadal men with PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL or less, finding a 15.1% overall cancer detection rate. The prevalence increased with PSA levels, ranging from 5.6% in men with PSA ≤1.0 ng/mL to 36.4% in those with PSA 3.1–4.0
