External Beam Radiation Therapy for prostate cancer

/
External Beam Radiation Therapy for prostate cancer

External Beam Radiation Therapy is a type of treatment that can be used for prostate cancer. This type of treatment works by targeting the prostate gland with beams of radiation. After your prostate has been mapped and your body has been set into place by a fitted mold, shaped beams of radiation are directed at the prostate from several directions which kills the cancer cells. There are two types of radiation that your doctor may use. These include either three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) or intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Read More

Cryosurgery for Prostate Cancer

/
Cryosurgery for Prostate Cancer

Cryosurgery for prostate cancer is also known as cryotherapy. It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses extremely cold gas to freeze and destroy the prostate. With cryosurgery for prostate cancer, transrectal ultrasound is used to map and guide needles through the area between the anus and scrotum so that the cold gases can be directed to the prostate.

Read More

Seed implants for prostate cancer

/
Seed implants for prostate cancer

Seed implants for treating prostate cancer are also known as brachytherapy, or internal radiation therapy. It is a type of radiation treatment that uses radioactive pellets or seeds that are inserted directly into the prostate gland to kill the cancer cells. Short-term hormonal therapy may also be used in combination with brachytherapy to help reduce the size of the tumor.  

Read More

What does an elevated PSA mean?

/
What does an elevated PSA mean?

An elevated PSA can mean a number of underlying conditions. Many people often associate an elevated PSA with prostate cancer, but that is not always the case. While prostate cancer is very common among older men, there are other conditions that may be affecting the prostate that could be the reason for developing an elevated PSA. The PSA elevates in the blood as a result of the prostate cells or gland being disrupted in some way. A “normal” PSA level is generally between 1.0 and 4.0 ng/mL.

Read More

Signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia

/
Signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a condition of the prostate that men often develop as they age. As men age, the prostate gland is known to become enlarged. However, this does not mean cancer. BPH is a noncancerous growth of the cells within the prostate gland. By age 60, more than half of men have BPH. By age 85, about 90 percent of men have BPH, but only about 30 percent will have symptoms. An enlarged prostate can put pressure on the urethra which makes it difficult to urinate.

Read More

Exploring Cyberknife for Prostate Cancer

/
Exploring Cyberknife for Prostate Cancer

Cyberknife is an alternative option to treat prostate cancer, as well as many other cancers such as lung, brain, spine, liver and pancreatic cancer. It is not a surgical procedure, but a form of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and robotic-assisted radiosurgery that utilizes a computerized robot to automatically deliver high doses of radiation to the prostate gland. For men with prostate cancer, Cyberknife is recommended for men with cancer limited to the prostate, and men with low to moderate risk prostate cancer. 

Read More

How is Prostate Cancer Treated?

/
How is Prostate Cancer Treated?

Active Surveillance/Watchful Waiting. These are not types of treatment, but ways to monitor prostate cancer when it is very low-risk or slow growing. During active surveillance or watchful waiting, your doctor will keep track of the prostate cancer using various tests including a PSA blood test, digital rectal exam, and ultrasound. If the prostate cancer becomes more aggressive, your doctor may recommend other treatment options.

Read More

Treatment options for high PSA

/
Treatment options for high PSA

Treatment for a high, or elevated PSA depends on the underlying condition that is causing the PSA to elevate. There are a number of conditions that can cause the PSA to elevate. If you have a high PSA as a result of prostatitis, treatment includes a course of antibiotics. Prostatitis also means a prostate infection, which causes inflammation of the prostate gland. Prostatitis is the most common prostate condition in men younger than 50.  

Read More

Why Do Men Get BPH?

/
Why Do Men Get BPH?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (aka BPH, benign prostatic hypertrophy, or an enlarged prostate) is a condition that most often affects older men. As men get older, the prostate gland naturally becomes enlarged. This can put pressure on the bladder and urethra, causing problems with urination. Over 50 percent of men in their 60s and up to 90 percent of men in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

Read More

Causes of a High PSA

/
Causes of a High PSA

A “normal” PSA level is generally between 1.0 and 4.0 ng/mL. Anything above 4.0ng/mL is considered “abnormal” or elevated. The PSA level may differ depending on a man’s age. As men age, the prostate gets larger. A larger prostate produces more PSA. Therefore, younger men generally have lower PSA levels while older men tend to have higher PSA levels. These variations in PSA levels are not always associated with a prostate condition, other than an enlarged prostate. The PSA level may also vary depending on the man’s ethnicity or if they have a family history of prostate cancer.

Read More

Treatment for BPH

/
Treatment for BPH

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition that occurs in men usually over 50 years old and is characterized by an enlarged prostate. As men age, it is natural for the prostate to become enlarge. BPH is a noncancerous growth of the cells within the prostate gland. By age 60, more than half of men have BPH. By age 85, about 90 percent of men have BPH, but only about 30 percent will have symptoms.

Read More

What is Percent-Free PSA?

/
What is Percent-Free PSA?

Prostate cancer effects millions of men each year, whether newly diagnosed or living with prostate cancer. Despite the amount of lives this cancer affects, the tools for diagnosis fall short.  For this reason it is important to use the tools that we do have to their fullest capacity.  The percent free PSA, for instance.

Read More