Factors associated with pain sensation in patients with ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy

Introduction: TRUS-guided prostate biopsy is a current method used to obtain the histopathological material necessary to make a definitive diagnosis of prostate cancer. Objective: To investigate patient-related variables affecting the level of pain felt during prostate biopsy to determine what can be done to minimize pain. Methods: The study included 241 patients scheduled for prostate biopsy. Four patients who did not meet the criteria were excluded. Local anesthesia was administered intrarectally 10 minutes before the biopsy to 237 patients, and a conventional 12-core biopsy was performed. The level of pain felt by all patients during the biopsy was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score. Pain scores were compared by forming groups according to the selected parameters. Results: The mean age of the 237 included patients was 66.0±7.8 years, the mean serum PSA level was 33.7±197.5 ng/dL, and the mean prostate volume was 33.7±197.5 ml. The mean VAS score was 4.3±1.9. The pain score was higher in patients with positive digital rectal examination findings and lower in patients using 5-alpha reductase inhibitors(5-ARİ). At the same time, no significant difference was found in patients with positive tumor pathology, perineural invasion, alpha-blockers, or combination therapy. Conclusion: Some patient parameters may affect the level of pain felt during TRUS-guided prostate biopsy.