New Study Shows Benefits of Transperineal Biopsies of the Prostate Under Local Anesthesia

The Gale and Graham Wright Prostate Center at North York General Hospital (NYGH) is advancing the treatment of prostate cancer with a new study showing the benefits of transperineal prostate biopsies (TPBx) under local anesthesia.

Posted online in Journal of Urology The study, "Transperineal Biopsies of the Prostate Under Local Anesthesia: Experience in 1,287 Patients: Prostate Cancer Detection Rates, Complications and Patient Tolerance" shows that the TPBx approach for screening and testing the diagnosis of prostate cancer is accurate and involves far fewer prostate biopsy method rates.

"After performing more than a thousand TPBx procedures under local anesthesia, the North York General team showed that it was the safest method to obtain a prostate cancer biopsy and that patients tolerated it well. this procedure, "said Dr. Stan Flax, urologist at NYGH. and one of the main authors of the study. "Clinical data provides the necessary evidence that the medical community needs to evolve to a new standard of care for patients."

In 2016, the Gale and Graham Wright Prostate Centers of NYGH were the first in Canada to use the TPBx approach, which involves performing biopsy using a needle through the skin. Studies have shown that TPBx is a safer alternative for patients, compared to transrectal biopsies, because of the lower risk of serious infections that can result in hospitalization and admission into the unit. intensive care.

In the very rare contexts where TPBx is performed, the procedure uses a general or spinal anesthetic, which usually requires more intensive resources. Over the past three years, NYGH urologists have used TPBx exclusively under local anesthesia and have followed a total of 1,287 procedures in this study. The data show that this method of prostate biopsies has the same accuracy rate, if not better than the transrectal, compared to the previous series of transrectal biopsies of the team.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in North American men, with approximately one in seven men diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. It is also one of the most treatable cancers, though it is detected and treated in its infancy.

"In North America, only 1% of prostate cancer tests are done with the help of TPBx," says Dr. Flax. "Given the frequency of prostate biopsies, our research offers a real opportunity to improve patient care."