[The value of rectal examination in the diagnosis of prostatic cancer (author's transl)].

Rectal examination is the basic step in the diagnosis of carcinoma of the prostate. However its accuracy is limited because cancerous nodules are often difficult to differentiate from certain benign conditions which cause areas of induration. Needle biopsy is necessary for establishing the diagnosis of cancer. 699 men with palpable lesions of the prostate underwent transperineal biopsy. Out of 251 patients with advanced lesions only 171 (68.1%) had a histologically proved carcinoma of the prostate. Out of 119 men with an isolate firm nodule 50 (42%) had a positive biopsy whereas in only 62 (18.8%) of 267 biopsies of glands with changes in consistency and indurations histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma.