Between the rectal exam and PSA reading from blood tests, your GP will refer you to a urologist if they suspect prostate cancer. The urologist will likely take samples from your prostate. They stick a probe up your rectum and stab your prostate with small tubes taking tiny core samples. Make sure you go for the six sample test and not the 17 as you will bleed for months if you do. The lab will read the samples and determine dispersion and rates of growth from microscopic analysis. This is when you learn your choices of treatment. better hope this all happens before the cancer metastasizes, grows beyond the prostate sack into your body for then it's likely all over for you. The point about impotency in the article is rather silly when you consider the alternative. Most men will get prostate cancer. The trick is getting diagnosed if you have the rapid growth form or not.
The PSA test is not costly. It’s usually included in a yearly blood test by your physician with an annual check up. What is important is the annual test since the real issue isn’t so much the number but the “velocity” with which it is changing. There seems to be some question as to where one should have a biopsy (most say 4 is the cutoff). In my case the number went to 4.6 and I had a biopsy that was negative. Now two years later the number has retreated to around 3. Interestingly when the accompanying DRE is administered ( my former Dr. did it before the PSA test which can affect the PSA result negatively and probably caused the number to be high. Also there is the issue of abstaining from sexual activity before a PSA test because that can adversely affect the PSA number. At least, if we are going to have the test, doctors should do it in the proper manner. I would probably not have had an elevated PSA and had to go through the biopsy procedure if Dr. Moron had done it correctly.