HOW IS PROSTATITIS DISTINGUISHED FROM BPH AND PROSTATE CANCER?
Some of the same symptoms may be caused by BPH or prostate cancer or prostatitis. To tell the difference, a doctor will usually perform a digital rectal exam(putting a rubber-gloved finger up the rectum to feel the outside of the prostate for lumps, hardness, and size) and order a PSA blood test. (See “What is a DRE” and the Glossary entry for PSA). In some cases where the PSA is very high (Generally over 4.0 is the usual rule of thumb though this may vary depending upon the patient’s age or race.) or appears to be climbing steadily, a TRUS and biopsy may be scheduled to rule out prostate cancer. (See “What is a TRUS” elsewhere in this FAQ.) If cancer is not indicated by the results of the DRE, PSA, TRUS, or biopsy but the prostate is enlarged prostatitis or BPH can be assumed to be the problem. If the problem is confined to urinary tract symptoms (see above) and the patient is over a certain age (it appears 50 is the magic number per Dr. O’Leary at Harvard) then the patient is told he
