Mary Bird Perkins offers the most advanced radiation therapy available in the world with the medical and technical experts to use it successfully. We treat approximately 180 prostate cancer patients every year with radiation therapy.
Prostate cancer begins in the prostate, a walnut-sized gland found only in men. It is located below the bladder and surrounds the upper portion of the urethra. If the prostate grows too large, it can slow or stop the flow of urine. Prostate cancer can only be confirmed with a biopsy (removal of tissue to search for cancerous cells). Screening is important because prostate cancer rarely causes symptoms in its early stages. As the cancer develops, symptoms may include trouble with urination, frequent urination, pain during urination or ejaculation, blood in your urine or semen, impotence and bone pain. Two simple, noninvasive tests, the Digital Rectal Exam and PSA Blood Test, are ways to screen for prostate cancer and detect prostate cancer before a man has symptoms.
The recovery and treatment options depend on the stage of the cancer, whether it is confined to the prostate or has spread, the patient’s Gleason score and the level of PSA. The Gleason score ranges from 2 to 10. The lower the number, the less likely it is that the tumor will spread. PSA is a substance made by the prostate that is high in men who have prostate cancer, although a high PSA could also signify an infection or inflammation of the prostate or an enlarged, but noncancerous, prostate.
Prostate cancer can be effectively treated and usually cured if detected in its early stages. The most common risk factors for prostate cancer are age (risk increases with age), ethnicity (African-American men are at a higher risk for developing prostate cancer), a diet high in fat and low in vegetables and men with a family history of prostate cancer. Men who are 45 years old or older should consult their doctor about their risk for prostate cancer. For a personalized cancer risk assessment, visit MyCancerRisk.com.
Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among men in the United States. Although many are diagnosed with this disease, most men do not die from it. With treatment progress and early diagnosis, more than 90 percent of all prostate cancer is discovered at an early, localized stage (where the cancer has not spread), and the 5-year survival rate approaches 100 percent.*
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Related Links:
American Cancer Society
National Cancer Institute
* American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts and Figures 2006, Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2006.