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Biopsy curiosity question

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Posted 6/21/2007 1:19 PM (GMT -8)
My final biopsy was a "saturation biopsy". 

The urologist took 44 samples (I was under general anesthesia, thank god!).  One had a malignancy in it.

Has anyone else had a "saturation biopsy" or did my URO just make this up?

Posted 6/21/2007 3:05 PM (GMT -8)
"Satuaration Biopsy" is sometimes used in cases where there's an elevated PSA, PC is highly suspected, and previous biopsies have been negative.

Not everyone condones the concept: one or two tiny cancers discovered by satuaration biopsy or repeated biopsies raises the debate about significant or insignificant cancers and watchful waiting which Dr Walsh and Dr Epstein have done considerable research on.

One of the Johns Hopkins articles is available in a newsletter item in the winter 2003 edition on "insignificant cancers" at www.urology.jhu.edu/newsletter 

www.prostate-cancer.org has an item on active surveillance in their Nov 06 newsletter. 

Not everyone copes with the approach of active surveillance, which depends on the individual situation, however there are often advantages, even if it is used short term while carefully considering treatment options, and choice of doctor, which should be the prime consideration.

John

 

Posted 6/21/2007 3:17 PM (GMT -8)

No, not made up,  my BIL had 40.  Said he was uncomfortable for several weeks, but didn't have any other problems.

Dutch


Posted 6/21/2007 4:35 PM (GMT -8)
hi rek

my 1st and only biopsy was 29 samples which is way above average. it seems that most guys get an average of 12 samples which i think it too few. i never asked my urologist why he took so many samples, but it gave me a greater assurance as to the stage of my PCa. A sedative was injected into my prostate through the rectum wall rectum before the samples were taken. I didn't really feel much of anything when the samples were taken.

Dave
Posted 6/21/2007 7:18 PM (GMT -8)
rek,

My biopsy included 10 samples. One of the 10 showed the cancer as read by one pthologist. When I changed urologist and went to a univeristy based medical center their pathologist read the slide as atypical and not cancer. My new urologist then sent the slide to Dr. Jon Epstein at John Hopkins. He told me that if it came back as atypical then he would recommend a saturation biopsy. He came back as confirmed cancer so I never had the saturation biopsy.

Tamu
Posted 6/22/2007 5:54 AM (GMT -8)

I guess I should have clarified.

I think I was in the active monitoring mode for five years, based on the articles that aus listed.

My PSAs had been increasing at varying speed for five years.  I had previously had four 12 sample biopsies by three different urologists, all were negative.  I was just really tired of going in for a biopsy on an annual basis, only to come up empty while being convinced there had to be a malignancy there somewhere.  Otherwise, the increasing PSAs made no sense.  Of course, we now know that the PSA is not the most reliable test in the world of lab tests.

So, after a total of 92 needle sticks over five years, the malignancy was finally located.

Can anybody top 92? devil

Posted 6/27/2007 9:20 AM (GMT -8)
I would imagine. I just had a regular biopsy that I'm waiting on I have no idea how many samples were taken. When I came out of the sedation my doctor was not there to tell me anything..... so I'm just waiting and hoping.

Richard
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