Value of transurethral biopsy in the diagnosis of carcinoma of the prostate.

Needle biopsy, as a simple and reliable method, has been in use for the microscopic diagnosis of carcinoma of the prostate. On the evidence of published observations and of the present study, transurethral biopsy is regarded as a useful supplementary procedure, 10 per cent of the malignant tumours of the prostate being inaccessible to the other current biopsy techniques. The cases in which it has been found to be of particular diagnostic value include 1. carcinoma of the prostate arising from the anterior lobe or from the periurethral area; 2. occult carcinoma: 3. negativity of successive needle biopsies in spite of clinical suspicion of prostatic carcinoma; 4. malignant growth involving the neck of the bladder when cystoscopy fails to identify its primary site.