Digital Rectal Examination (DRE); A Despised Clinical Sign among Medical Students?

Objectives.To standardize digital rectal examination (DRE) and set how it correlates with the comprehensive evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).Methods.After scaled standardization of DRE based on fingertips graphical schema: 10 cubic centimeters—cc for each fingertip prostate surface area on DRE, four randomly selected senior medical students examined 48 male patients presenting with LUTS in an outpatient clinical setting, totaling 12 DRE each. Standardized DRE, international prostate symptom score (IPSS), serum PSA, transabdominal ultrasound (US), urodynamic evaluation, and postvoid residue were compared.Results.The mean and median PVs were US—45 and 34.7 cc (5.5 to 155) and DRE—39 and 37.5 cc (15 to 80). Comparing DRE and US by simple linear regression: US PV = 11.93 + 0.85 × (DRE PV);P=0.0009. Among patients classified as nonobstructed, inconclusive, and obstructed, the US PVs were 29.8, 43.2, and 53.6 cc (P=0.033), and DRE PVs were 20, 35, and 60 cc (P=0.026), respectively.Conclusion.This is the first attempt to DRE standardization focusing on teaching-learning process, establishing a linear correlation of DRE and US PVs with only 12 examinations by inexperienced hands, satisfactorily validated in an outpatient clinical setting.

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Screening by Prostate-Specific Antigen and Digital Rectal Examination in Relation to Prostate Cancer Mortality. A Case-Control Study

The Journal of Urology ◽

10.1016/s0022-5347(01)68791-3 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 174 (5) ◽

pp. 1824-1825 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Patrick C. Walsh

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Prostate Specific Antigen ◽

Cancer Mortality ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Specific Antigen ◽

Digital Rectal Examination ◽

Case Control ◽

Rectal Examination ◽

Prostate Cancer Mortality ◽

Control Study

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Prostate cancer screening: A survey of medical students’ knowledge in Lome, Togo, and associated determinants in a resource-limited African context

SAGE Open Medicine ◽

10.1177/20503121211032812 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 205031212110328

Author(s):

Tchin Darré ◽

Toukilnan Djiwa ◽

Tchilabalo Matchonna Kpatcha ◽

Albadia Sidibé ◽

Edoé Sewa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Medical Students ◽

Confidence Interval ◽

Prostate Cancer Screening ◽

Specific Antigen ◽

Digital Rectal Examination ◽

P Value ◽

Theoretical Knowledge ◽

Practical Level

Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the knowledge of medical students in Lomé about these means of screening for prostate cancer in a context of limited resources and controversy about prostate cancer screening, and to identify the determinants associated with these results. Methods: This was a prospective descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted in the form of a survey of medical students regularly enrolled at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Lomé for the 2019–2020 academic years. Results: Of the 1635 eligible students, 1017 correctly completed the form, corresponding to a rate of 62.20%. The average age was 22 ± 3.35 years. The sex ratio (M/F) was 2.5. Undergraduate students were the most represented (53.69%). Students who had not received any training on prostate cancer were the most represented (57.13%). Only 12.88% of the students had completed a training course in urology. Concerning the prostate-specific antigen blood test, there was a statistically significant relationship between the students’ knowledge and some of their socio-demographic characteristics, namely age (p value = 0.0037; 95% confidence interval (0.50–1.77)); gender (p value = 0.0034; 95% confidence interval (1.43–2.38)); study cycle (p value ˂ 0.0001; 95% confidence interval (0.56–5.13)) and whether or not they had completed a placement in a urology department (p value ˂ 0.0001; 95% confidence interval (0.49–1.55)). On the contrary, there was no statistically significant relationship between students’ knowledge of the digital rectal examination and their study cycle (p value = 0.082; 95% confidence interval (0.18–3.44)). Conclusion: Medical students in Lomé have a good theoretical knowledge and a fair practical level of the digital rectal examination clinical examination and an average theoretical knowledge and a below average practical level of prostate-specific antigen, increasing however along the curriculum in the context of prostate cancer screening.

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