Cancer Care (Do Not Delete)

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. Although it is generally a slow-growing cancer, regular screenings provide an early prostate cancer diagnosis to improve outcomes and quality of life.

Prostate cancer screening

If you have symptoms that may indicate prostate cancer, such as difficulty urinating or frequent urination, your doctor may recommend a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. It’s a simple test that measures how much prostate-specific antigen you have circulating in your blood.

PSA, a protein produced by the prostate, tends to be elevated in men with prostate cancer or other noncancerous prostate conditions.

How is prostate cancer diagnosed?

While a PSA test is an indicator that something may be wrong in the prostate, the only way to confirm a prostate cancer diagnosis is by biopsy, which a doctor may recommend if the results from the PSA test come back abnormal.

Biopsies can often be completed in the doctor’s office and are used to help determine the next best steps in diagnosis and treatment.

Transrectal biopsy
This procedure uses a thin needle inserted through the rectum to remove a small tissue sample from the prostate. A pathologist will look at the cells under a microscope and make a diagnosis.

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Targeted fusion biopsy

Targeted fusion biopsy is an advanced imaging procedure used to diagnose prostate cancer. It combines high-quality MRIs and ultrasounds to provide physicians with a higher-quality prostate image to check for cancers. Learn more about targeted fusion biopsy in The Scope.

Prostate cancer care close to home

According to Christopher Powell, MD, a urologist with West Georgia Urology and member of the patient care team at Tanner, prostate cancer rarely has symptoms until it reaches an advanced state. Men age 55 or older (or who have a family history of prostate cancer) should have a PSA test to determine their prostate cancer risk. The latest treatments and robotic surgery for prostate cancer are all available.

Treatments for prostate cancer

There are several different types of treatments available for prostate cancer. You and your doctor can decide which treatment is right for you.

Prostate seed implant
During the implant procedure, your doctor will place radioactive seeds of Palladium (Pd 103) directly into your prostate to kill cancer cells. The number of seeds depends on the size and aggressiveness of your cancer. Your doctor may also recommend additional external radiation therapy along with a seed implant.

Radiation therapy
We offer sophisticated radiation therapies that target tumors while sparing nearby healthy tissue. In some cases, radiation therapy provides cure rates comparable to radical prostatectomy.

For example, your doctor may recommend external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). EBRT uses precisely targeted high-energy radiation beams in small daily doses for six to eight weeks. Learn more about options for radiation therapy.

We also offer measures like the SpaceOAR Hydrogel system that provides additional protection to healthy tissue during radiation therapy, improving your comfort during treatment.

Surgery
If your cancer is confined to the prostate and has not spread, a surgeon may perform a radical prostatectomy. This surgical procedure removes your entire prostate and surrounding tissue. Robotic-assisted surgery allows patients to have smaller incisions, less blood loss, less pain and a quicker recovery.

All cancer treatments have risks, and the risks of prostate cancer treatment may include impotence and incontinence.

If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, talk with your doctor about the best treatment options for you.