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Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate (a small gland that creates seminal fluid, which helps keep sperm healthy for reproduction and pregnancy). It’s one of the most common forms of cancer in men. If you have prostate cancer, or if your provider thinks that you may have it, it’s normal to have questions or be worried. The cancer experts at St. Luke’s Center for Cancer Care are here to make sure you have the answers and advanced care you need.
The Commission on Cancer has accredited our center for our dedication to quality care. We participate in a range of clinical trials to help our patients access the latest treatment options not available elsewhere. Our team meets frequently for tumor boards, allowing our doctors and surgeons to work together to ensure our patients receive the best possible treatment options. We offer second opinions if you’ve received a diagnosis or treatment elsewhere and want to be confident in your care. And our treatment options are conveniently located in the same place, so we can coordinate your appointments and get you back to your normal activities faster.
How We Diagnose Prostate Cancer
If your doctor suspects prostate cancer, you may need one or more of the following tests:
- Biopsy: During this procedure, we’ll collect a sample of cells from the prostate for testing by using a thin needle we insert into the prostate
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI scan can give us insights into areas on the prostate that may be cancerous
- Ultrasound: This type of an ultrasound, called a transrectal ultrasound, involves us placing a small probe into the rectum that uses sound waves to create an image of the prostate
If we find that you have prostate cancer, we’ll next determine its Gleason score. This is a measure of how abnormal your cancer cells are. The more abnormal prostate cancer cells are, the more likely they are to spread to other areas of the body. Gleason scores can range from 2 (not likely to spread) to 10 (highly likely to spread).
We will also determine your cancer’s stage, from Stage 1 to Stage 4. The higher the number, the farther the cancer has spread.
Our Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
If you have prostate cancer, you and your doctor will create a personalized care plan based on your needs. Your care plan may include one or more of the following options:
- Active surveillance (also called watchful waiting): Your doctor may recommend regular follow-up testing to monitor the cancer and see if it grows or spreads.
- Surgery: We offer both robot-assisted prostatectomy and traditional open surgery to remove the prostate, as well as some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes.
- Radiation therapy: Our radiation oncologists offer both external-beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy (a type of radiation therapy that involves placing small radioactive seeds inside the prostate tissue).
- Cryotherapy (also called cryoablation): We can use intense cold to freeze and kill the cancerous tissue.
- Hormone therapy: We can use several techniques to stop your body from producing testosterone, which prostate cancer cells need to grow. These techniques include medication options, as well as orchiectomy (surgery to remove the testicles).
- Chemotherapy: If your prostate cancer doesn’t respond to hormone therapy, or if it has spread to other areas of the body, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy to treat it.
- Immunotherapy: We can use medications or other treatments to help your immune system target and destroy prostate cancer cells.
- Targeted therapy: These treatments let us focus on genetic changes and other abnormalities in cancer cells to keep them from growing and multiplying.
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer may not cause any symptoms, especially in its early stages. You may notice some or all of the following symptoms in later, more advanced stages:
- Blood in the semen (also called hematospermia) or urine
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
- Fecal incontinence (loss of bowel control)
- Frequent or urgent need to urinate
- Pain or burning during urination
- Painful ejaculation
- Trouble urinating
- Unexplained weight loss
- Urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control)
- Weak urine flow
Prostate Cancer Risk Factors
There are several common factors that can increase your risk for prostate cancer, including:
- Age: Most people diagnosed with prostate cancer are older than 65.
- Race and ethnicity: People who are black or who have African ancestry are at higher risk for prostate cancer, as well as for prostate cancer that is more likely to spread.
- Family history and genetics: Having a father or brother who has had prostate cancer more than doubles your risk of prostate cancer. You’re also at higher risk if you have Lynch syndrome (a genetic condition that can increase your risk for several cancer types) or inherited mutations of the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes (which are linked to a higher risk of breast, ovarian and other types of cancer).
If you’re 50 or older, talk with your primary care provider about prostate cancer screening. A digital rectal exam (DRE) can let your provider feel for possible cancerous tissue. And a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test can show if your blood has high levels of the PSA protein, which can be a sign of prostate cancer.