Prostate Cancer Specialist

Prostate cancer is a common and complicated disease that requires careful monitoring and treatment. Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options available by visiting a prostate cancer specialist. Our team can recommend specialized therapies and treatments to help patients recover from prostate cancer and return to their everyday routine.

CAUSES

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. It usually is fourth most common cancer worldwide and the second most common for men. There is no specific cause of prostate cancer. However, certain risk factors may cause a patient’s chance of getting prostate cancer to increase. These risk factors include:

  • Age: A patient’s risk of prostate cancer increases as they age. It is most common after the age of 50.

  • Family history: While most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not have a family history of prostate cancer, those who do have a higher risk of getting it.

  • Genetics: People who have changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Their prostate cancer is also more likely to be aggressive.

  • Race: Black people have a higher risk of prostate cancer than those of other races, though this cause is still unknown. It is likely due to a lack of access to preventive care and screenings. Prostate cancer makes up about 37% of all cancers that Black men are diagnosed with.

SYMPTOMS

In its early stages, prostate cancer may not cause symptoms or reflect symptoms of other conditions affecting the urinary tract system, such as kidney infection or urinary incontinence. However, if the patient begins to lose weight without trying or feels pain in their bones, they should seek medical attention and be screened for prostate cancer.

A prostate screening can include a prostate-specific antigen test (PSA). During a PSA, the prostate cancer specialist will draw blood from the patient and screen it for PSA produced by the prostate. While it is normal for a person to have a small amount of PSA in their bloodstream, a higher level than normal can indicate early signs of prostate cancer.

TREATMENTS

Treatment options for prostate cancer depend on several factors, such as how fast the cancer is growing and spreading, the patient’s overall health, and the side effects and benefits of treatment. For example, low-grade prostate cancer may not need immediate treatment and may never be needed. In this case, the prostate cancer specialist may opt for active surveillance, which means the patient will need routine follow-up blood tests, rectal exams, and biopsies.

However, if active surveillance finds that treatment is needed or cancer starts to cause symptoms, there are several options available. Our team at Urology Medical Specialists looks at each patient’s case and designs a custom treatment plan, considering their health goals and the side effects of treatment. These options may include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of different treatments when the case is more severe.