Sunday, March 24, 2024

Do You See A Urologist For Prostate Cancer

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Your Doctor Might Also:

Prostate Cancer: Why You Should See a Urologist
  • Give you a physical exam
  • Perform a digital rectal exam on men with prostate issues
  • Perform a pelvic exam on women
  • Order tests
  • Perform a cough stress test if you have urinary incontinence

Although some of these tests may be uncomfortable, they can provide important information about your condition. Even though its all new to you, it might help to remember that your urologist has done hundreds of exams and tests. He or she is a professional who wants the best possible outcome for every patient. Your urology staff will do their best to make you feel comfortable and safe.

After your exam, your urologist will talk to you about your condition and possible solutions. When the results of any tests are available, youll discuss the best treatment plan together. Treatments might include medication, physical therapy, or even surgery.

Going to a specialist can be scary but getting the answers you need is important to your health and your peace of mind. When you know what to expect and how to prepare, your first urology appointment will be more comfortable than you ever expected.

Think you need to visit a urologist? Schedule an appointment today.

The Test Is Often Not Needed

Most men with high PSAs dont have prostate cancer. Their high PSAs might be due to:

  • An enlarged prostate gland.
  • Recent sexual activity.
  • A recent, long bike ride.

Up to 25% of men with high PSAs may have prostate cancer, depending on age and PSA level. But most of these cancers do not cause problems. It is common for older men to have some cancer cells in their prostate glands. These cancers are usually slow to grow. They are not likely to spread beyond the prostate. They usually dont cause symptoms, or death.

Studies show that routine PSA tests of 1,000 men ages 55 to 69 prevent one prostate cancer death. But the PSA also has risks.

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We are proud to announce a new podcast series geared toward helping give support, hope and guidance to prostate cancer caregivers. The goal of this Prostate Cancer Caregiver Podcast Series is to help others connect with a diverse group of people who have felt the impact of prostate cancer in their lives and empower them on their journey.

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Find The Best Surgeon You Can Get It Done Right

Radical prostatectomy is a very difficult operation. It takes not only skill, but the kind of expertise you get only after being involved in a lot of procedures, first from the sidelines as a doctor in training, and then learning how to do it meticulously with the guidance of an expert surgeon.

The very best prostate surgeons specialize in the prostate. Thats often all they do, and they do a lot of these procedures every year.

You dont want to be part of the learning curve.

Another point: Because there are so many bad surgeons out there, you cant trust everything you read on the internet or from hospitals propaganda.

Our goal is to weed out the bad surgeons, so they stop doing procedures they arent skilled enough to do.

As for you, well, this is your one shot at this. Do your due diligence. How can you find the right surgeon? We have developed this checklist with the help of three experts. Please. Take the following things into consideration before you go under the knife:

Meet The Prostate Care Team

Signs that Men Need to See a Urologist

Prostate cancer used to be solely the domain of the urologist, a doctor who specializes in the urinary tract system and treats conditions such as bladder and prostate cancer. In the past, prostate cancer was almost always treated with surgery to remove the diseased prostate, a procedure called prostatectomy. Today, the urologist remains integral in a patients prostate cancer care. They help patients determine if screening is the right thing to do, make the diagnosis of cancer, and help walk patients through options for treatment. The urologist helps the patient access other specialists in cancer care, which may include a medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. In some parts of the United States, especially in areas that are far from major medical centers, the local urologist may still be the only expert available to treat prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer therapy may include one treatment or a combination of surgery, radiation, drugs, and regular monitoring.

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You Generally Need A Referral To See A Urologist

When patients notice something unusual, whether it be an issue with bladder control or an enlarged prostate, their first thought should be to see their primary care doctor. A GP can do an initial evaluation and decide whether you need to be referred to a specialist, which in this case would be a urologist. Different health care plans have varying requirements for seeing a specialist, but in many cases you will need a referral from your primary care doctor.

Patients may also choose to skip their GP and come direct to a specialist. This may happen if they had some acute issue in the emergency, or have an issue they feel more comfortable speaking about directly with a urologist, such as erectile dysfunction.

In most cases other than acute emergencies , a direct referral may be necessary. But even in these cases if often best to go through your GP or the emergency room.

Perineum Treatments Aim To Cure But On A Guessing Modality

Hi Perineum

You are not alone in the matters of prostate cancer. Confusion is common because there is no âsilver bulletâ to kill the cancer. Treatments aim to cure but on a âguessingâ modality. If successful we all accept consequences in good mood otherwise, the side effects must be endured for ever, and that becomes part of the decision process we do when deciding on a treatment.

The idea of having surgery and then radiation means a double contingency of side effects. I would suggest you stick with only one and hope for the best.Both treatments are advisable to cases where the cancer is KNOWN to be confined. If any chance exists indicating a probable extra capsular extension but still LOCALIZED, then surgery would not be proper, and a combination of hormones plus radiation is recommended. In this case the radiation planning is for a wider spectrum, therefore different from that of an initial directional treatment .

Your diagnosis may be correct but you should try to get more detailed information from your pathologist report to pinpoint those pieces of info giving an idea of any possibility to metastasis. Gleason 8 with PSA 10 and only one core positive out of 12 with a voluminous prostate could be considered on both sides of the âcoinâ Contained against extra-capsular extension.

Your case in accordance with the info you provide, is localized but of the type standing in the border line between a contained and non-contained diagnosis.

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Why Would You See A Urologist

A urologist might treat bladder problems, urinary tract infections , bladder and kidney cancer, kidney blockage, and kidney stones.

Men might also see them for:

Women might also see a urologist for

Children might need to see a urologist if they have an abnormal urinary tract problem like bedwetting.

Which Do I Need

Sciences proves that ejaculating more often reduces your risk of CANCER?! A Urologist explains

The type of specialist you should see depends on the situation that you are experiencing. Because symptoms stemming from bladder issues, UTIs, and kidney problems can look very similar, it isnt always obvious what you need treatment for.

Often, the first step is to see your primary care physician. Theyll be able to do an initial examination and recommend you to a specialist. In fact, your health insurance may require a referral before you can see a specialist.

If your doctor is recommending you see a urologist in Dayton, Ohio, wed be more than happy to see you. At Urology Specialists of Ohio, we provide a wide variety of modern treatments for conditions involving the bladder, kidneys, liver, urinary tract, and male reproductive organs.

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Who’s Right Good Question

I’m an 85 year old..feel like a kid most of the time.. Had T1C rating last summer..urologist, after negative bone scan and MRIs gave the usual choices, or options…..I waited till Jan of 2011 and saw an oncologist who talked about Cyberknife in a rather positive way while not specifically stating that he recommneded it.. My internist said, do nothing..at my age something else will get me…added that PSA tests are no longer done on octogeneraians….

I opted for the 5 day cyberknife.. had the fiducials implanted in prostate and the 5 days of Cyberknife in Mid FEb 2011..PSA from5.6 before.. was 1.4 60 days later. Nothing to it… Very pleasant experience.

Currently,have the burning in the urethra canal that was supposed to occur during the first week or so after CK radiation.. also the moderately loose bowels .. both of which started in Mid May…The urologist thinks it’s a side affect of the radiation…it may or may not be permanent..

I can live with these side effects if I have to… at my age, I’ll settle for just about anything to stay ambulatory… Good luck to you

Reasons Why You Should See A Urologist

For most men over the age of forty, the last thing they want to do is to make an appointment with another doctor. While it may seem like regular visits with your primary care physician can serve as a catch-all for all factors of your health, the specialty offered by urologists can help round out your total body wellness. Despite being a more specialized field, urologists actually can help with a variety of issues, including certain cancers, bladder conditions, kidney stones, and erectile dysfunction. Taking charge of your sexual, urinary, and prostate health early on can help prevent more serious issues down the road. In addition to preventing more serious conditions, staying up to date on urologist visits can improve your overall quality of life. If youre above the age of forty and experience any of these conditions, its worth adding another appointment to your calendar to see a urologist.

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Nurse Counselors And Coordinators

A team of experts assists doctors on the care team. Those experts include oncology nurses, who will administer chemotherapy and other medicines, perform the tests used for monitoring the disease, and help patients cope with side effects. Case managers and patient coordinators are also part of the care team. These experts will help patients coordinate care across the team. They will also help patients make connections with experts, such as nutritionists, who can help with dietary concerns, or endocrinologists, who can help patients who are taking hormone therapy. Social workers with expertise in oncology may also help patients get help with personal challenges such as coping with the emotional burden of prostate cancer as well as helping patients navigate financial concerns, including questions about insurance coverage and family medical leave.

Moffitt Cancer Centers Urologic Oncology Program

Urology San Antonio

Men who are experiencing prostate cancer symptoms can feel confident turning to Moffitt Cancer Center for a diagnosis and treatment. In addition to urologists, uropathologists and uroradiologists, our team of skilled prostate cancer doctors includes radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists and medical oncologists. Requesting an appointment is easysimply call us at or complete our new patient registration form online.

  • BROWSE

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Yes Urologists See Women Too

We dont discriminate against either sex both men and women can develop bladder problems, kidney stones, and UTIs, says Dr. Gill.

Generally, about two-thirds of the patients urologists see are men, and about one-third are women. But this is very practice-specific, and can vary based upon a doctors specialty training.

We focus on taking care of the whole patient, and on providing high-quality treatment and working toward a good quality of life for everyone we see, he says.

Some men prefer to see a male urologist, while some women prefer to see a female urologist. Dr. Gill says this can also go the other way.

The quality of care will be the same, he notes. Furthermore, if a guy feels bashful around female staff, he should always remember that what hes coming in with is nothing they havent seen before.

Focal Therapy For Prostate Cancer

With recent advances in MRI and targeted biopsy, we are better able to locate the exact area of prostate cancer. Men who do not have an enlarged prostate, who have prostate cancer that is detected only in a single region of the prostate and have intermediate grade cancer can be a candidate for focal therapy. This type of therapy treats only the cancerous tissue and spares the normal prostate, thereby preserving urinary and sexual function

Here at UCLA we commonly use cryotherapy or HIFU to focally treat prostate cancer. Given that this is a relatively new form of treatment, we have established rigorous post-treatment protocols using MRI and biopsies to ensure that the cancer has been adequately treated.

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Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer involves the use of high-energy beams or radioactive seeds to eliminate tumors, provided by specialty doctors in the fields of urologic oncology and radiation oncology. Early-stage prostate cancer can often be successfully treated with a non-surgical option such as prostate radiation therapy. At UCLA, the most common types of radiation therapy offered for men with prostate cancer are brachytherapy, external beam radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy , and stereotactic radiotherapy.

When To See A Urologist

Prostate Cancer: Urology Care Close to Home – Christopher Powell, MD

It’s not always very easy to decide if you need to see a urologist, a gynecologist or a family physician. Finding out which doctor to see for your needs often proves difficult, particularly when there is some overlap between the different care they provide.

A urologist specializes in the organs that filter, hold and expel urine. That includes the kidneys, ureters, prostate and bladder.

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What Is A Psa Number And Why Is It So Important

Dr. Samadi: First of all, you should know that the Prostate Specific Antigen is not a specific protein for prostate cancer. It just shows you that theres something going on in the prostate. You go to the doctor, you get a blood test and you get the PSA number. Youve got to follow it like a stock market chart. When you have a PSA over 4, only 30% of the time its prostate cancer. What else could it be? For example, an infection can cause the growth of the gland and a lot of times your urologist will prescribe antibiotic first to see if that can bring the score down before beginning to worry. Next, your doctor should try to figure out if the gland could be growing: this can be followed with a trend velocity or PSA velocity: if the numbers suddenly start to zoom up, then there may be cause for worry. Everything should be done in conjunction with a digital rectal exam, where were feeling for a nodule and follow up with a PSA.

Should I Go To A Specialist Or A Urologist For My Psa

Dr. Samadi: I want to give a word of caution on that, these days, sometimes internists do too much. Yes you can go to one and be screened, but if theres something wrong he or she will certainly direct you to a urologist. Specialists have a role too and they should be contacted as soon as the problem falls out of the hands of the internist.

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You Think You Have A Kidney Stone

Kidney stones are most notably marked by severe pain on one side of your lower back, though other symptoms include nagging stomach pain, blood in the urine and urine that smells bad or looks cloudy. If you experience these symptoms, you should see your urologist as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment.

Kidney stone pain can be very severe, and many patients report it as the worst they have ever experienced, says Mike Nguyen, MD, associate professor of clinical urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and a urologist at Keck Medicine of USC. How does this compare to the pain of childbirth? It turns out that the reported amount of pain in both situations is almost identical.

What Tests Might I Have At The Gp Surgery

Urology Archives

Symptom check

Your GP will ask about your symptoms, how long youve had them, whether they are getting worse over time, and how they are affecting your life.

Before you visit your GP, you might want to think about how often youve had symptoms over the last month. This may help you explain your symptoms to your GP. You might also want to keep a diary of how much you drink and how often you urinate.

Your GP will check whether your symptoms might be caused by another health problem, such as diabetes, or by any medicines you are taking, such as blood pressure medicines, anti-depressants or herbal medicines.

They will also check whether your symptoms could be caused by your lifestyle for example, if you often drink large amounts of fluid, alcohol, or drinks containing caffeine .

Bladder diary

Your GP may ask you to keep a diary for a few days to check how much you are drinking, what type of drinks you have, how much urine you pass, and how often and at what times you urinate. A diary can help your doctor to work out what may be causing your symptoms and how to treat them.

Urine test

Your GP may ask you for a urine sample to check for blood or any infection that could be causing your symptoms. You may need to give more than one sample. If you have an infection your GP will give you a course of antibiotics.

Blood tests

Physical examination

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