Reducing risks of prostate biopsy

With more than 47,500 men diagnosed each year, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed male cancer in the UK, representing around 25% of all male cancers in the UK. The current mainstay method of diagnosing prostate cancer is with a needle biopsy of the prostate guided by a transrectal (TRUS) ultrasound probe inserted into the rectum. This method is commonly referred to as a transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy (TRUSBx). 

The problem, however, is that the TRUSBx method for prostate biopsies carries a significant risk of harmful side effects. This is because the needle traverses the rectal wall a number of times on the way to the prostate, which poses a large risk of infection. Despite preventative antibiotics, bacteria in the bowel inevitably enter the urinary system and blood stream, meaning a number of men develop infections.

In addition to the clinical ramifications this has for the patients, 10% report fever and chills and 1-2% severe sepsis, which both come with significant cost associations. In fact, costs associated with UK hospitalisation episodes for biopsy-related sepsis alone are estimated to be £7-11 million annually. With the number of men being referred increasing each year combined with the rise in antibiotic resistance, a new long-term method for carrying out prostate biopsies is urgently required.