Diagnosing Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is diagnosed with an exam that includes family and medical history and a PSA blood test.
Although the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force in 2015 downplayed the need for an annual PSA test, a 2020 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute said the recommendation actually triggered an increase in advanced disease in men over 50. PSA is the only screening test to detect prostate cancer. Our experts recommend regular screening for any man with a life expectancy of 10 or more years.
If PSA levels are elevated, our experts use specialized MRI and ultrasound equipment to biopsy the suspicious area and determine if cancer is present.
Treating Prostate Cancer
Treatment depends on the aggressiveness of your cancer and your general health. Nonaggressive prostate cancer can be monitored twice each year, an approach called “watch and wait.” For more aggressive cases, treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy.
- Radiation therapy: High-energy particles or waves of radiation, similar to X-rays, destroy cancer cells.
- External beam radiation: A machine outside the body aims radiation at the cancer location. We use Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, an advanced 3D technique that minimizes damage to nearby healthy tissue.
- Internal radiation or brachytherapy: Seeds containing radioactive substance are placed in or near the cancer. We can use permanent seeds containing a low dose rate implant or temporary seeds with a high dose rate implant removed a day after placement.
- Hormonal therapy: Reduces production of the testosterone that stimulates prostate cancer cell growth. This does not cure prostate cancer, shrinks it before radiation therapy or if it returns after surgery or radiation.
- Chemotherapy: Administered intravenously or by mouth. It circulates through the bloodstream to kill cancer cells.
- Surgery: Prostate removal is often required. Our surgeons pioneered the use of robotic prostatectomies with the remarkably precise da Vinci Surgical System. The robot gives surgeons a 3D view of even the smallest surgical field for precision that can preserve sexual function and continence. Patients also benefit from less blood loss and faster recovery times.
To make accessing care easier, we created virtual visits for you and your family to connect from home or the urologist’s office with other members of your care team, including medical oncologists and radiation oncologists. These appointments are set up by our nurse navigators.
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