Possible Prostate Cancer: Are there side effects of MRI fusion biopsy?

My trans-rectal biopsy was done under general anesthesia, so I would not have been able to drive myself. A friend had his with valium taken before the procedure. I understand they use the valium or other sedative for persons with other health conditions.

I had discomfort for several days: perhaps it depends on how many cores they take.

@kpg7121
Be aware that people who have even advanced prostate cancer cases have no symptoms and are surprised when they find out they have it.

@jeffmarc Well, how is advanced diagnosed if a person has no symptoms?

@jeff1963 There is one core out of 12 that is suspicious. The biopsy report did not mention cribiform etc that you mentioned. All I know is my Gleason is 3+4, percentages I have no idea. I do have BPH & I think the MRI report mentioned HGPIN.

@kpg7121
They go by the PSA tests, PSMA pet testing. MRI’s. In some cases CT scans and bone scans.

Biopsies at first, unless you pick active surveillance. In that case further tests like above and more biopsies over time.

Hopefully you will never feel prostate cancer.

I have had it for 16 years had four reoccurrences, surgery and radiation. I’ve had A metastasis zapped on my spine. The only thing I’ve ever felt from it is side effects from the drugs and treatments I’ve had.

@kpg7121
I think what is meant their are no symptoms until their are symptoms and then when it is further investigated through mri’s, biopsies, Pet’s etc they then learn their cancer is advanced and it really was the metastasis of the cancer that finally showed symptoms. I had a friend who was mid 60’s whose primary never gave him a PSA test and it was not until he ended up in the ER for other symptoms and a PSA was taken in the 200’s. He had no symptoms and was stage 4 metastatic bone cancer.

@kpg7121 The biopsy report not mentioning cribriform, IDCP, ECE, PNI is all good. 1 out of 12 samples is good too. But 3+4 is cancer, even if it's one core sample. Sometimes the pathologist makes a mistake, I had one pathologist at Mayo say 3+4, but then at another COE said 3+3, then post-surgery at Mayo I was downgraded to 3+3. Sounds like you like your Urologist, hope that he/she is truly knowledgeable about options for treating prostate cancer. Options are usually Active Surveillance or treating with surgery or radiation. From what I know, Active Surveillance is often an option for 3+4. Some people will get a 2nd reading of the biopsy samples. Some people will have testing (Decipher test) done on the cancerous biopsy sample to see if it is likely to spread. Some people have genetic testing done on themselves to see if they have genetic mutations that make prostate (and other cancers) more risky. All things you can talk to your Urologist about. Many more knowledgeable people here than me, but wanted to share what little I know.

@kpg7121 What’s supposed to happen is that men are supposed to get their PSA tested annually before they have prostate cancer and well before there are symptoms.

This has been the recommendation for well over 30 years (see attached news article from 1992). But, men won’t request the test, and many wait until after they have symptoms.

@jeff1963 Well, you know a lot more then I do & thanks for responding.

@brianjarvis I'm 69 & I've been getting tested once a year for years. My PSA jumped from 3 to 4 in November 2025 which is when my primary referred me to a urologist.