Boost Your Knowledge to Beat Prostate Cancer

Highly treatable, especially when caught early, prostate cancer affects one in eight men in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

"There are usually no symptoms with prostate cancer, so screening is vital because early detection provides the greatest chance for cure," according to Doylestown Health urologist Steven Flashner, MD.

A reproductive organ about the size of a walnut, the prostate gland makes the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation.

Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer 

It is important to discuss your personal risk factors and screening recommendations with your primary care provider or urologist. A man's chance of developing prostate cancer increases with age, and if you are Black or have a family history of prostate cancer you are at increased risk of getting or dying from the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Obesity has been associated with more advanced disease and poorer outcomes.

Early Detection Saves Lives 

"Every man should have an annual physical and digital rectal exam after age 50," notes Dr. Flashner. The rectal exam allows physicians to detect lumps, enlargement, or other abnormalities.

"In our practice, we recommend a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test every year between the ages of 50 and 70. Because prostate cancer often has no symptoms, a patient can have a normal physical, and still have cancer," says Doylestown Health urologist Albert Ruenes, MD. "The test identifies a protein which can signify prostate cancer, so we watch for trends over time." 

It's a good idea to discuss risks and benefits of PSA screening with your primary care provider, according to Dr. Ruenes. "There is debate about PSA because of the potential for false positive results leading to unnecessary biopsies," he explains. If the results of a PSA test or rectal exam show a need for further testing, your urologist may order a biopsy or MRI to diagnose prostate cancer.

Tailoring Treatment to the Individual 

"We match the aggressiveness of treatment to the aggressiveness of the tumor, the man's age, and overall health while trying to maintain a good quality of life," says Dr. Flashner. "The prostate is close to the urine control muscles and the nerves that allow a man to have an erection. The goal is to cure cancer while preserving those functions." 

"Thanks to early screening, most cancers are limited to the prostate, curable through either surgery or radiation alone," says Dr. Ruenes. "In some advanced cases, we know up front that some patients will require both surgery and radiation to best manage their prostate cancer."

Treatment options include the following:

• Watchful waiting or medication to lower testosterone – for patients with non-aggressive cancer
• Surgery, including minimally invasive options, to remove the prostate
• External beam radiation and brachytherapy (radioactive seed implants) – available at Penn Radiation Oncology at Doylestown Hospital
• Chemotherapy – may be recommended for hormone-resistant cancer or cancer that has spread
• Cryotherapy (freezing) and high frequency ultrasound – targeted focal therapies that preserve healthy tissue by pinpointing and destroying cancer 

Men with aggressive cancer may benefit from a combination of treatments. Our urologic cancer patient navigator coordinates treatment and follow-up care, answers questions and facilitates participation in clinical trials, support groups, and other resources.

A Range of Surgical Options 

If surgery is necessary, Doylestown Health urologists are skilled in a range of surgical approaches to remove the prostate (radical prostatectomy):

• Perineal: Provides direct access to the prostate with the incision between the anus and scrotum. Includes nerve-sparing methods.
• Retropubic: Removes the gland through a large, abdominal incision.
• Robotic-assisted laparoscopic: Removing the prostate through small abdominal incisions using the da Vinci® Surgical System. 

Learn More

Visit Doylestown Health Urology.

Further Reading

Read more about prostate cancer at The American Cancer Society.