Digital rectal examination is a clinical procedure in which a physician inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to assess the rectum, the anal canal, and, in men, the adjacent prostate gland. It allows the examiner to feel for abnormalities in size, shape, texture, and consistency, such as enlargement, n…
Digital rectal examination is a clinical procedure in which a physician inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to assess the rectum, the anal canal, and, in men, the adjacent prostate gland. It allows the examiner to feel for abnormalities in size, shape, texture, and consistency, such as enlargement, nodules, hardness, or tenderness, that may indicate disease. In the evaluation of the prostate, digital rectal examination is used alongside blood tests such as the prostate-specific antigen test to help detect prostate enlargement, inflammation, and cancer; an irregular, firm, or nodular prostate on examination may prompt further investigation with imaging and biopsy. Although it cannot reach the entire gland and is not by itself diagnostic, it remains a simple, low-cost component of prostate assessment and broader rectal evaluation. Within the scope of the International Journal of Prostate Cancer, which addresses the detection, diagnosis, and management of prostate disease, digital rectal examination is part of the clinical pathway for identifying men who may need further testing. The journal's research relevant to this area includes work on markers and screening approaches for prostate cancer, including a study using prostatic fluid zinc-to-bromine ratios as a screening tool. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to prostate cancer and its diagnosis.
3 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 3 articles above have been cited 10 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Digital Rectal Examination, linking to each citing work.