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bacterial infection developed in my prostate following biopsy
My PSA was 7.8 and I have a high family history with prostate cancer. My father, my father’s brother and two of my brothers were all diagnosed with prostate cancer.
A Mayo Rochester MN Physician Assistant (“PA”) said I was a high risk for prostate cancer and strongly recommended a prostate biopsy. A biopsy was taken, 15 samples from all sides of gland. 3 cores of Gleason 6 low volume. I was placed on active surveillance and reassessment in 1 year.
I was happy the results were not advanced. However, I developed a serious bacterial infection in the prostate after the May, 2025 biopsy and it took me 5 months to get the PA’s attention to diagnosis and treatment it. I suffered through 4 months of pain and burning inflammation and could not sit comfortably on anything. Now I’m suffering through 30 days of of a serious and intense antibiotic with serious and disabling side effects to hopefully cure it.
Has anyone had a similar experience or advice to share?
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I am so sorry to hear that you had such terrible experience and that nobody took your complaints seriously. 🥺
Are you saying that PA was the person who performed your biopsy ? If yes, that is highly unusual - I never heard of that arrangement. It is almost exclusively done by an urologist.
What are the antibiotic side effects that you are experiencing ? 😟
I am wishing you very fast and complete healing 🍀🍀🍀 !
Diagnosed with low-grade, localized prostate cancer in 2012, during the time that I was on active surveillance (2012-2021), I had 4 transrectal biopsies; never got an infection.
> with your family history of prostate cancer, have you had a genetic (germline) test to see if you inherited any gene mutations related to prostate cancer?
> what were your MRI results prior to your biopsy?
> did you get a 2nd opinion on the MRI results (for confirmation)?
> was your biopsy done transrectally or transperineally?
> did you receive antibiotics prior to your biopsy?
> did you do an enema prior to your biopsy?
> did you get a 2nd opinion on the biopsy results (for confirmation)?
While on active surveillance (AS), it’s common to have repeat PSAs every 4-6 months; a year is long time to wait. (Here is the Johns Hopkins protocol for AS: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/prostate-cancer/active-surveillance-for-prostate-cancer).
Eventually, you’ll get past this infection. Going forward you’re going to need a bit more shared decision-making in your treatments (or find a different medical team that will work with you and support you).
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I was assessed by a PA and another PA performed the biopsy. I thought this was unusual so I questioned the biopsy prep team and they told me is was common at MC Rochester. My wife wants to file a complaint with Mayo. I’m thinking about it. Any thoughts
@tld56
You definitely were not treated right by the people that refused to have you come in when you were having pain after the biopsy.
I can’t believe you’re only seeing physicians assistants, This is a case where you should’ve contacted the physician and even called Mayo and made your case vocally about the pain you were having.
With prostate cancer cases, we have learned that we have to be proactive about our treatment. That means telling the doctors (or PA) that you want something rather than can you have something. You need to be really emphatic when you’re not being treated right.
Yes, complain to Mayo about this, It was definitely incompetently handled.
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