Enlarged prostate (BPH)
Can prostate cancer be found during ThuLEP?
By Advanced Urology · November 10, 2026
Can prostate cancer be found during ThuLEP?
Straight answer
Sometimes. The tissue removed during ThuLEP is sent to a lab.
What's involved
In a small number of men, it shows prostate cancer, often low-grade, that wasn't known before. That's why we check PSA and sometimes imaging before surgery. If cancer is found, we'll talk through what it means and the next steps.
When to visit us on Gordon Rd
Book a visit if you have BPH symptoms and a high or rising PSA; a prostate MRI and biopsy may come before any BPH procedure.
For the mountain counties
We welcome Pickens, Gilmer and Fannin residents to our Jasper Clinic, 49 Gordon Rd Suite 103. An operation, when needed, is performed by our urologists in Marietta.
More detail from Advanced Urology
Advanced Urology overview: Enlarged prostate (BPH)
Planning at our Jasper Clinic
Men from Jasper and the surrounding mountains can talk through prostate procedures with Dr. Chirag Dave or Dr. Jason Lomboy at our Jasper Clinic on Gordon Rd. We'll go over your symptoms, PSA history and any imaging, and check how well you empty before recommending a procedure.
How our urologists handle tissue findings
Tissue removed during ThuLEP is sent to the lab, and occasionally it shows a cancer no one suspected. If your PSA has been rising, we may suggest an MRI or biopsy beforehand. When a small cancer is found afterward, it's often low-risk, and we'll explain whether monitoring or treatment makes sense. ThuLEP itself is done at our Marietta Clinic & Surgery Center.
Call promptly if
- You can't pass urine after the catheter is removed
- Fever or chills develop
- Bleeding becomes heavy or forms clots
Questions men ask
Common questions
Will my PSA change after ThuLEP?
It usually drops because prostate tissue is removed. A new baseline PSA is checked a few months later, and a later rise is followed up with an exam and sometimes an MRI.
Where are follow-up visits?
Most can happen back at our Jasper Clinic on Gordon Rd. That includes going over the tissue results and later PSA checks.
Families from Jasper, Talking Rock and Ellijay can phone (678) 344-8900 to arrange a consultation, and Britany Howard, FNP, helps with many follow-up visits on Gordon Rd.
Bring your past PSA results so we can see the trend before surgery.
We'll share the lab findings with you at your follow-up visit.
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