Digital Rectal Exam

Cancer Detection Techniques in the Prostate

The prostate is a gland near the rectum. It is a part of the male reproductive system. The prostate releases fluid that makes up a component of semen, and prevents the flow of urine during ejaculation. Prostate cancer develops when cells in the...

How Is a Prostate Exam Performed?

The first part of a thorough prostate exam is also known as the digital rectal exam. With this exam, the physician puts on latex gloves and lubricates one finger. The doctor then inserts this lubricated finger into the rectum to feel for the...

How Is Prostate Cancer Diagnosed?

Prostate tumors are often felt during a digital rectal exam, which is performed as part of a routine physical examination in men. The physician will examine the prostate by palpating it through the rectal walls with a lubricated gloved finger. A...

Earlier Signs of Prostate Cancer

As stated by the National Cancer Institute, there will be an estimated 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in 2010. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in men in the United States. There are several early signs of...

Tests for an Enlarged Prostate

As men age, they are at greater risk of developing an enlarged prostate--a condition also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. Doctors may conduct a variety of tests in an effort to confirm the presence of an enlarged prostate; determine the...

5 Things You Need to Know About Anal Cancer

Contracting anal cancer is rare, but increasing. Anal cancer forms in or on the tissue of the anus, located at the end of the rectum. The combination of cells that comprise the anus result in several forms of cancer, the most common, squamous...

Diagnostic Criteria for Prostate Cancer

The National Cancer Institute estimates prostate cancer will kill 32,050 men in the United States in 2010. Prostate cancer can develop from the cells that surround the prostate gland, or from the glandular tissue itself. As the cancer progresses,...

Tests for Prostate

The prostate is a relatively small gland (about the size of a walnut) that sits at the base of the penis. The prostate is responsible for the synthesis and excretion of the fluid portion of semen. Several diseases can afflict the prostate, ranging...

Bowel Cancer Tests

Patients who suffer from symptoms that indicate a suspected case of colon, or bowel, cancer may need to undergo a series of tests. The tests may include blood tests, the use of scopes to view the inside of the colon, x-rays and CT scans, as listed...

Living With Colon Cancer

Colon cancer drastically changes patients' lives. People worry about family, continuing their jobs and keeping their jobs. Life with colon cancer has medical and non-medical components. Non-medical components include support groups and possibly...

Prostate Complications

The prostate gland is a small walnut-shaped gland in men that helps produce the seminal fluid that nourishes and carries sperm. Prostate complications are common in men as they get older and can cause symptoms such as urinary frequency and...

Prostate Cancer Types

Prostate cancer can affect different cell types within your prostate. The type of cell affected gives a cancer its specific name. Adenocarcinoma, cancer of the glandular cells of the prostate, is by far the most common type of prostate cancer. The...

Could Flaxseed Cause a PSA Reading to Be High?

PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen and is a protein produced by prostate cells. A PSA test measures the levels of PSA in the blood and is used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. Flaxseeds are obtained from the flax plant and, according...

Colon Cancer Test Procedures

Colon cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lower intestine, or bowel. According to MayoClinic.com, colon cancer often originates from tiny growths that cause few detectable symptoms; therefore, doctors recommend regular testing for colon...

Information on Stage IV Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is classified into stages, which helps guide treatment plans because it describes the spread and extent of the cancer. The stages run from stage I, the least invasive, to stage IV, which is also called metastatic cancer. This means...

Bicycle Riding & Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer starts in your prostate gland, a walnut-sized structure that is part of the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages but is rarely found in men younger than 40...

About the Prostate

The prostate is a glandular organ surrounding the urethra at the outlet of the urinary bladder in males. About the size of a walnut, it plays a role in sexual functioning. The organ develops as a result of male hormonal influence, and it may be...

3 Ways to Identify Diverticulitis

Educate yourself about the symptoms of diverticulitis, a disorder in which small pouches in your digestive tract become inflamed and possibly infected. Unfortunately, you may not know that you have diverticulitis until the inflammation is quite...

Bladder Retention Disorder

Bladder retention, also known as urinary retention, is a condition where you are unable to empty your bladder. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), anyone can experience urinary retention, but...

What Is the Meaning of PSA Results?

Controversy surrounds the usefulness of the prostate serum antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer screening and the interpretation of its results. Factors such as age, race, medical history and even the type of PSA test used can greatly affect the...

Alternatives to a Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure designed to prevent and detect colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy examines the entire colon and rectum for polyps and any abnormalities. Polyps and abnormalities may be benign or cancerous. The invasive nature of...

How to Test for Rectal Cancer

Rectal cancer, also known as rectal carcinoma, is a disease in which malignant cells from within the rectum tissues. The rectum is a part of the digestive system, which is responsible for processing nutrients and helping pass waste out of the...

Cancers of the Male Reproductive System

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, men are 70 percent less likely to see a doctor for health concerns compared to women and are 80 percent less likely to have a regular doctor. This reluctance to take care of...

Signs of Colon & Stomach Cancer

The National Cancer Institute estimates that every year in the United States 21,000 people are diagnosed with stomach cancer and more than 100,000 people are diagnosed with colon cancer. Signs and symptoms of colon and stomach cancer are similar...

What Causes Enlarged Prostate?

The prostate generally enlarges as a result of inflammation, generalized overgrowth from hormones or tumors. Diseases of the prostate are very common and occur more frequently as men age. Common causes include inflammation, infection, benign...

About Prostate Health Problems

The prostate, which is located at the base of the penis, is a small gland that is approximately the size of a walnut. The prostate makes the liquid portion of semen. There are a variety of conditions that can affect the prostate, though most of...

Factors Affecting PSA Levels

Two tests have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the detection of prostate cancer in men who are 50 years of age or older. One of the tests is a digital rectal exam, during which a physician uses a gloved hand to feel for...

Symptoms After Prostate Biopsy

The prostate is a gland that creates some of the fluids found in semen, according to the American Cancer Society. Prostate cancer causes the second-highest number of cancer death among men. Doctors may use either the prostate-specific antigen...

Prostate Cancer Health Video (Video)

Prostate cancer affects aging men. Since there are no visual symptoms, it is important to get regular screening. Learn about prostate cancer in this video.