Because prostate cancer often causes no symptoms, it may be found as part of a routine rectal exam or during an exam for some other problem.

A blood test called the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test may be done to check for prostate cancer. However, like many cancer screening tools, it is not perfect and can give misleading results. If the PSA is normal, there may still be cancer in the prostate. If it is a bit high, it may not be from cancer, but the abnormal result may cause anxiety, expense, and unnecessary medical procedures. For this reason, healthcare providers do not agree about when or if PSA tests should be done.

If you have a symptom or a test that suggests cancer, other tests that may be done are:

• Transrectal ultrasound to look at the prostate. A probe is inserted into the rectum. The probe bounces sound waves off the prostate to create a picture of the prostate on a video screen.
• Cystoscopy. The healthcare provider uses a thin, lighted tube to look into the penis, urethra, and bladder.
• Transrectal biopsy. The healthcare provider inserts a needle through the rectum into the prostate. A piece of the prostate tissue is removed to look for cancer cells. It is the only sure way to diagnose prostate cancer.

If a biopsy shows cancer cells, you will have other tests, such as a bone scan, CT scan, or MRI to see if the cancer has spread and help decide how to treat it.