I am 61 and my female doctor has not performed a.DRE in any of my last 5 annual physicals, should I find a new doctor? She relies on PSA blood tests instead.
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Ron here...
A DRE Digital Rectal Exam is an important and simple test for prostate health checking. You could ask her why she doesn't do it, and then decide based on what she says if you need to change doctors.
A DRE can tell roughly the size of the prostate and can reveal any abnormal textures. Of course though, you need a good doctor who has done the test many times to know what they are feeling.
The biggest issue of all is what happens after the test with whatever info they find. You can read more about PSA tests, biopsies and risks on thsi site or in my book Healthy Prostate.
