Many groups have taken the position that the digital rectal examination should be discontinued as part of the annual screening physical examination. We examined the effects of not doing a digital rectal examination on the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. The average time since a previous rectal examination increased as the stage of cancer increased. The digital rectal examination proved to be a relatively insensitive test, with 40% of stage D cancers being detected initially within 12 months of the most recent examination. Nevertheless, an annual digital rectal examination did detect a greater percentage of lower stage (and thus more localized and potentially curable) cancers when repeated within 12 months. When the last rectal examination was more than 24 months previous, cancers detected were more likely to be advanced. Without a digital rectal examination, patients would have their disease detected only by the presence of symptoms. When it was done because of symptoms, 81% of our patients had stage D cancers compared with 32% of stage B and 38% of stage C patients. Without the routine use of this examination, patients with prostate cancer would be more likely to have higher stage and less potentially curable lesions at the time of diagnosis. We conclude that the digital rectal examination remains an important part of routine annual physical examinations.