This Week's Podcast
Episode 150
November 14th at 10:30am CT
Just Got Your Prostate Biopsy Report? Here’s What It Means
You just received your prostate biopsy pathology report—and suddenly you're looking at words like adenocarcinoma, Gleason score, Grade Group, tumor involvement, positive cores, perineural invasion, and prostate cancer. What does it all mean?
In this episode of UroPatient, hosted and presented by Vic Senese, RN, BSN, FAUNA, we break down the prostate biopsy pathology report in plain language so patients and families can better understand what they are reading.
A prostate biopsy can be an anxious and confusing experience. The pathology report is one of the most important pieces of information in determining what happens next, but knowing how to interpret the terminology can make a big difference.
I explain important terms you may see on your report, including:
• Benign prostate tissue — what it means when no cancer is identified
• Prostate adenocarcinoma — the most common type of prostate cancer
• Gleason score — how prostate cancer cells are graded based on how abnormal they look
• Grade Group 1–5 — the modern grading system used to communicate prostate cancer aggressiveness
• Gleason 3+3, 3+4, 4+3 and higher scores — why the numbers matter
• Number of positive biopsy cores — what it means when cancer is found in one or more samples
• Percentage of cancer in a core — why the amount of cancer found can be important
• Perineural invasion — a pathology finding that may appear on some reports
• Cribriform or intraductal patterns — findings that may influence risk assessment
• Tumor grade versus cancer stage — why your biopsy report does not tell the entire story
• What happens after the biopsy — why PSA, MRI findings, clinical stage, and other factors may also be considered
Most importantly, a prostate biopsy pathology report is only one part of the overall picture. Your healthcare team may combine the pathology results with your PSA level, prostate MRI findings, digital rectal examination, clinical stage, age, overall health, and other factors to determine your risk category and discuss treatment or surveillance options.
If your report says Gleason 3+3, Gleason 3+4, Grade Group 1, Grade Group 2, or something more advanced, don't panic—and don't try to make a treatment decision based on one line of the report. Understanding what the report says is the first step toward having an informed conversation with your urologist.
UroPatient is dedicated to helping patients better understand urologic conditions, tests, procedures, diagnoses, and treatment options.
Hosted and presented by Vic Senese, RN, BSN, FAUNA, host of UroPatient.
The goal is to help patients understand their options and make informed decisions with their urologist.
Hosted and presented by Vic Senese, RN, BSN, FAUNA, host of UroPatient.
*The expert's opinions in this communication are personal and not representative of any organization. They are for informational purposes only, not official guidance. Viewers are advised to use their judgment, seek additional advice, and take responsibility for any actions based on these opinions.
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