Prostate cancer - prostate mapping

What is prostate mapping?

Prostate mapping is a process by which men suspected of having prostate cancer or men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer can be more certain of their true risk. By use of specific tests, prostate mapping can do two things:

• First, and probably the most important, is the process where clinically important disease is ruled-out with 95% certainty. In other words men can be reassured, again with about 95% certainty (or a 19 out of 20 chance of being correct) that they do NOT have prostate cancer that might curtail their life expectancy. Note the tests do not rule out prostate cancer, they can just rule out any clinically important disease.
• The second output of prostate mapping results as a consequence of the first. In attempting to be precise about the risk of prostate cancer, important information is derived on location, number of tumours and grade. Moreover, this information is much more likely to be accurate – when compared to standard diagnostic methods – as a consequence of the requirement to be 95% accurate on the prediction of risk.

How does it work?

Prostate mapping involves specialised MRI imaging techniques and/or a transperineal template-guided biopsy system under general anaesthetic, which provide information about the disposition and burden of the cancer within the prostate to a high degree of accuracy - something that other diagnostic techniques currently do not offer.

Paying for your procedure

The costs of this procedure are covered by most medical insurance policies, but please check with your insurer first. If you are paying for your own treatment the cost of the operation will be explained and confirmed in writing when you book the operation. Ask the hospital for a quote beforehand, and ensure that this includes the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist’s fee and the hospital charge for your procedure.

For further information or to book a consultation or treatment, please get in touch with our cancer enquiries team: Call us on 0800 157 7747

Content reviewed by Mr Ian Dunn: October 2014