QUESTION: My father is going to have prostate biopsy next week, because his doctor found that his prostate is enlarged. I want to know how long do results from prostate biopsy usually take?

ANSWER: Hi,

In general, you have to wait about 1 or 2 weeks to obtain the results from your prostate biopsy, but this is not quite sure, because this depends on certain conditions.

In purpose to make you understand this delay I will explain you some of the things that are done with your biopsy probe.

At first, when your doctor is making you a prostate biopsy he is sending this probe to a pathologist. These doctors are looking the cells of your prostate in purpose to see if there is something wrong with them.

Before that, they sit in front of the microscope to tint these cells with paints in purpose to make them visible under microscope. After the examination of the pathologist, there are some routine tests, which are quite necessary to run.

They are performing cytological, imunohistochemical and other test which are providing the physician the information about the metabolism of your cells. This way will helps us to see if the cells of your prostate are producing proteins that are typical for cancers.

After this procedure, the pathologist writes a conclusion about the structure of prostate’s cells for example, and this conclusion is then sent to you physician.

Only then you can take your results and understand if there is something wrong with the prostate.

All the best to your father!

Dr.Alba