The Stages Of Treatment
Because the stage of your cancer is the most influential factor in how your treatment will progress, weve divided the rest of this article into segments based on the stage of your cancer:
Stage 1 prostate cancer is the least advanced stage. This means your cancer is small and hasnt advanced past your prostate.
In this stage, PSA and Grade Group levels are low. Over 99% of people with prostate cancer caught in this stage survive the effects of cancer for at least 5 years. This means that you can still die of other causes, but you have a less than 1% chance of dying of prostate cancer complications.
for stage 1 prostate cancer usually consists of some combination of active surveillance, surgery, or radiation therapy. You may also be eligible for clinical trials that offer newer treatment techniques.
Testing Options For Prostate Cancer
There is no one age for prostate cancer testing, but the American Cancer Society makes recommendations about prostate cancer screenings. According to the ACS, patients in any of these groups should consider asking their doctor about testing:
- Men age 50 or older who have an average risk of prostate cancer and a life expectancy of at least 10 more years
- Men age 45 or older with a high risk, including African-American men and those with a first-degree relative who had prostate cancer before age 65
- Men age 40 or older who have a higher risk, such as more than one first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age
Expert cancer care
What Should I Do If I Have Prostate Cancer Symptoms
If you are displaying one or more signs of prostate cancer, be sure to promptly consult with a physician. Even benign prostate conditions like prostate enlargement warrant timely medical attention, so dont delay seeking treatment. And, like most other malignancies, prostate cancer is usually more easily treated when it is detected at an early stage.
Medically reviewed by Monica Chatwal, MD.
At Moffitt Cancer Center, we provide a full range of diagnostic testing for prostate cancer. If you have received a prostate cancer diagnosis, we understand that every day counts, and we want to support you every step of the way. Our Urologic Oncology Program includes a multispecialty team that focuses exclusively on evaluating and treating prostate cancer.
Contact Moffitt at or complete a new patient registration form online to speak with one of our specialized oncologists about your symptoms. As Floridas top cancer hospital, were committed to providing all new patients rapid access to a cancer expert within a day of their reaching out.
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Advanced Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Men with advanced prostate cancer may experience additional symptoms. Thats because the cancer has spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, such as the bones or lymph nodes.
Signs of metastatic prostate cancer may include:
- Swelling in legs or pelvic area
- Numbness or pain in the hips, legs or feet
- Bone pain that persists or leads to fractures
A wide range of treatment options are available for managing advanced cancer. These treatments kill cancer cells, but they may also help patients manage pain.
Prostate cancer treatment: The care you need is one call away
Your multidisciplinary team will work with you to develop a personalized plan to treat your prostate cancer in a way that fits your individual needs and goals.
Possible Treatments For Prostate Cancer
When treating cancer, numerous medical specialities, including radiation oncologists, surgeons, and medical oncologists, frequently work together to create a thorough treatment plan that may combine different cancer therapy modalities.
Oncology nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, social workers, pharmacists, counsellors, nutritionists, physical therapists, and other medical professionals are some of the medical specialists that are an integral part of cancer care teams. They will help you decide the best course of action based on your unique profile.
Following are a set of treatments that your medical team may suggest.
Active surveillance: The cancer is closely watched during active surveillance for indications that it is getting worse. Treatment will start if it is determined that the cancer is getting worse.
Watchful waiting: This strategy typically avoids routine DRE, PSA tests, and biopsies. Doctors may suggest this treatment to address the symptoms of prostate cancer if they include pain or obstruction of the urinary tract.
Surgery: The prostate and surrounding lymph nodes are removed during an operation. A surgical oncologist is a doctor specialising in using surgery to treat cancer. The surgical oncologist treating prostate cancer is a urologist, sometimes a urologic oncologist. The illness stage, the patient’s overall health, and other factors influence the procedure.
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Prostate Cancer Radiation Basics
What is External Beam Radiation?
External Beam Radiation Therapy delivers radiation from outside the body using a large machine. The radiation passes through the skin and other tissue and targeted on the tumor. The treatment requires a number of sessions per week for several weeks.
What is Brachytherapy?
Brachytherapy delivers radiation therapy by placing radioactive seeds inside the prostate. The seeds are about the size of an uncooked grain of rice. They remain in the prostate to give a low dose of radiation to a specific area for weeks or months. After about 90 days, the radiation is completely gone.
What are the potential side effects of radiation treatment?
Potential side effects of radiation therapy can include but are not limited to1:
- Erectile dysfunction over time
How Do You Know If You Have Prostate Cancer
Theres no way of knowing if you have prostate cancer without visiting your doctor, as most men with early prostate cancer dont have any symptoms. And if you do have symptoms they can be caused by other things.
And you cant check for prostate cancer yourself.
You may want to speak to your GP if you’re over 50 , even if you don’t have any symptoms. These are all things that can increase your risk of prostate cancer. Your GP can give more information or tests if necessary.
If youre not sure about what to say to your GP, print and fill out this form and show it to them. This will help you have the conversation.
I thought I could be at risk after learning that African Caribbean men are more likely to get prostate cancer than white men.
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Southern Cross Medical Library
The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms And Treatment
After a prostate cancer diagnosis, choosing an appropriate treatment path can be incredibly confusing and stressful for you and your loved ones.
Sometime after being diagnosed with prostate cancer you and your doctor will start to discuss your medical management options. Knowing your tumor aggressiveness is critical for understanding if you are safe to pursue active surveillance or if you should pursue one or multiple forms of treatment. Each of the below treatments has pros and cons, so make sure to talk with your doctor, family, and friends to gather as much information as possible to create a plan that is best for you.
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Prevention For Prostate Cancer
There is no foolproof method by which prostate cancer can be completely avoided, but there are certain things you may do to reduce your risk. Things like maintaining healthy body weight, exercising frequently, and watching what you eat and drink are essential. Here are more ways that can help avoid the disease.
Adopt a diet that is heavy in foods which combat inflammation.
Reduce your calorie intake and exercise to keep your weight in check. Regular exercise can lower a man’s risk of acquiring deadly forms of prostate cancer when done within the limits of safety for his particular degree of physical fitness. Obesity is associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer recurrence and death.
Exceptionally high calcium intake may raise the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Unless your doctor has prescribed supplements, try to acquire most of your calcium from plant-based dietary sources instead of supplements.
What Is Gleason Score
The Gleason score is determined by a medical practitioner based on the findings of a prostate tumour biopsy. Additionally, a score is determined by the number of cancer cells present, their location, and the extent of their dissemination. Doctors provide a score between 6 and 10 after summing the results.
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How The Prostate Changes As You Age
Because the prostate gland tends to grow larger with age, it may squeeze the urethra and cause problems in passing urine. Sometimes men in their 30s and 40s may begin to have these urinary symptoms and need medical attention. For others, symptoms aren’t noticed until much later in life. An infection or a tumor can also make the prostate larger. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any of the urinary symptoms listed below.
Tell your doctor if you have these urinary symptoms:
- Are passing urine more during the day
- Have an urgent need to pass urine
- Have less urine flow
- Feel burning when you pass urine
- Need to get up many times during the night to pass urine
Growing older raises your risk of prostate problems. The three most common prostate problems are inflammation , enlarged prostate , and prostate cancer.
One change does not lead to another. For example, having prostatitis or an enlarged prostate does not increase your risk of prostate cancer. It is also possible for you to have more than one condition at the same time.
Should I Get Prostate Cancer Screening
You may have wondered why there is no nationwide prostate cancer screening program in Australia . Thats because experts do not recommend routine prostate cancer screening if youre aged between 50 and 69, healthy, and dont have a family history of prostate cancer.
There are several reasons for this:
- A high PSA level can be a result of something other than cancer.
- Experts dont fully agree on what is a normal or abnormal PSA level.
- Most men with a slightly raised PSA level have a biopsy that confirms no cancer.
- Many prostate cancers are low risk, slow growing, and are unlikely to cause harm if left untreated.
- Testing and treating low risk, slow growing cancers may cause more harm than good.
You should speak to your doctor if you have a family history or ongoing symptoms of prostate cancer, such as difficulty passing urine. Your doctor can help you make an informed decision about whether prostate cancer screening is suitable for you.
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What Are The Types Of Prostate Cancer
Following are the five types of prostate cancer found in men.
Ductal Adenocarcinoma: It grows in the cells that border the prostate gland’s tube. Compared to acinar adenocarcinoma, it spreads rapidly.
Acinar Adenocarcinoma: It grows in the prostate gland cells.
Small cell prostate cancer: Small, spherical cancer cells make up the neuroendocrine carcinoma.
Squamous cell cancer: The flat cells that cover the prostate give rise to this type of cancer.
Transitional cell cancer: It grows in the urethral lining cells. This is a tube that exists in the body to carry urine. Cancer might invade other tissues, including the bladder.
Prostate Cancer: Symptoms And Treatment
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in India and the world. Although the problem of prostate enlargement is considered a part of aging in men, which can be managed with medication, one needs to differentiate between both, and prostate cancer needs to be timely diagnosed and treated. Prostate cancer occurs with quite visible symptoms and it is treatable at the initial stages with higher successful outcomes. Hence the chances of better survival remain in early recognition and treatment. Lets discuss some insights:
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer:
Who is prone to prostate cancer?· Men above 50 years of age· Men with a family history of lower urinary tract symptoms
Men experiencing the above symptoms need screening and further evaluation with:· Digital rectal examination·Severe PSA management and its different types and forms· With a trans-rectal ultrasound or abdominal ultrasound·MRI or Pet CT if indicated and required by the concerned urologist.
Treatment options: The treatment options entirely depend upon the severity and evaluation of the patient, which may include:· Age factor· Presence or absence of co-morbidities· Surgical fitness.
Usually, the survival rate in the case of prostate cancer remains 8 to 13 years. Life after prostate cancer treatment in Gurgaon is close to everyday routine life and after treatment, it presents more successful outcomes than other cancers and poses a lesser risk to life.
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Can Prostate Cancer Be Prevented
There are no clear prevention strategies for prostate cancer. There is some conflicting evidence that a healthy diet composed of low fat, high vegetables and fruits may help reduce your risk of prostate cancer. Routine screening, with PSA blood test and physical exam, is important to detect prostate cancer at an early stage. A healthy diet and regular exercise are also critical in maintaining good health and preventing disease in general.
What Are The Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer And How Common Is It
Former BBC Breakfast host Bill Turnbull has died from prostate cancer, aged 66.
Turnbull was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017, and took a leave of absence from his radio show in October last year to focus on his health. He returned to the show in August before he died at home on Wednesday .
A family spokesperson said: Following a challenging and committed fight against prostate cancer, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in Suffolk surrounded by his family on Wednesday, 31 August.
Bill was diagnosed in 2017 and has had outstanding medical care from the Royal Marsden and Ipswich Hospitals, St Elizabeth Hospice and his GP.
In a 2018 interview with the Radio Times, Turnbull said he asked his doctor to stop treating him with chemotherapy after eight rounds, saying he couldnt bear it any longer.
It felt as if the chemo was now taking on a character of its own, like some malevolent gremlin, he said.
The Classic FM host described living with the disease as relentlessly boring.
You go to bed at night thinking about it, and its still there when you wake up, he said.
Its there all day, every day a fact of life you have to get used to. And its a massive pain in the backside.
Earlier this year, Jools Holland has revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer following a routine blood test in 2014.
The musician and TV star, 64, who has been successfully treated for the disease, said he had no symptoms prior to his diagnosis.
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Genetic Testing For Prostate Cancer
You may hear a lot about genetics or genomics. Both terms are related to genes and cell DNA, but they are different. These tests are being used to learn more about the DNA of cancer cells, and link DNA mutations with treatments. In the future, genetic testing may be the first step doctors take when diagnosing prostate cancer.
Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes
Prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment can be complex and is often controversial. an interprofessional team of specialty-trained nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, primary care providers, oncologists, radiation therapists, genetic counselors, and urologists must work together to manage:
These and many more issues continue to challenge clinicians who deal with prostate cancer patients and men at risk for this common, potentially lethal male malignancy.
The interprofessional team can optimize the treatment of these patients through communication and coordination of care. Primary care providers, urologists, oncologists, radiation oncologists, and nurse practitioners provide diagnoses and care plans. Specialty care urologic nurses should work with the team to coordinate care and be involved in patient education and monitoring compliance. The interprofessional team can thus improve outcomes for patients with prostate cancer.
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Does Prostate Cancer Have Any Symptoms
Most men with early prostate cancer dont have any signs or symptoms.
One reason for this is the way the cancer grows. Youll usually only get early symptoms if the cancer grows near the tube you urinate through and presses against it, changing the way you urinate . But because prostate cancer usually starts to grow in a different part of the prostate, early prostate cancer doesnt often press on the urethra and cause symptoms.
If you do notice changes in the way you urinate, this is more likely to be a sign of a very common non-cancerous problem called an enlarged prostate, or another health problem. But its still a good idea to get it checked out. Possible changes include:
- difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder
- a weak flow when you urinate
- a feeling that your bladder hasnt emptied properly
- dribbling urine after you finish urinating
- needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night
- a sudden need to urinate you may sometimes leak urine before you get to the toilet.
If prostate cancer breaks out of the prostate or spreads to other parts of the body , it can cause other symptoms, including:
- back pain, hip pain or pelvis pain
- blood in the urine or semen
- unexplained weight loss.
These symptoms can all be caused by other health problems. But its still a good idea to tell your GP about any symptoms so they can find out whats causing them and make sure you get the right treatment, if you need it.