Treating Prostate Cancer
As part of the region’s only academic health system, we provide the latest treatment options. We are here to develop and guide you through an individualized and comprehensive plan.
Treatment options for prostate cancer
Our team wants patients and their families to understand that most often there is no emergency to rush to treatment of prostate cancer. Rather, prostate cancer requires a multidisciplinary evaluation to determine what treatment is most appropriate: observation, surgical resection, radiation or chemotherapy, depending on the biology of cancer, the co-morbidities of the patient, and their expectations regarding choices that might affect one’s quality of life. This often will involve multiple specialty appointments that will be set up by our cancer navigators. We want to ensure that each patient understands all the options so that they can make informed decisions.
Please call (251) 410-1010 to speak with one of our cancer-specific navigators, who will help guide you through this process. As part of a comprehensive prostate cancer evaluation, our team will set up appointments with the appropriate specialties in a timely fashion and communicate back to you.
What treatments are available?
Surgery
A prostatectomy is an operation in which doctors remove the prostate. USA Health's Dr. Christopher Keel is trained in performing this procedure using the da Vinci robotic surgical system.
Radiation therapy
This treatment uses high-energy rays to kill the cancer. Options
include external radiation therapy and internal radiation therapy, in
which seeds or pellets are surgically implanted.
Cryotherapy
This therapy involves placing a special probe inside or near the prostate cancer to freeze and kill the cancer cells.
Hormone therapy
This blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.
Chemotherapy
This therapy uses special drugs to shrink or kill the cancer. These drugs can be in the form of pills you take or medicines delivered intravenously.
Immunotherapy
This therapy works with your body’s immune system to help it fight cancer or to control side effects from other treatments.
Targeted drug therapy
These treatments work to block specific abnormalities within the
cancer cells and cause the cells to die. Some of these therapies only
work in people whose cancer cells have certain genetic mutations.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive technology used to treat localized prostate cancer. It avoids the side effects of surgery or radiation therapy.
Post-treatment outlook
About 85 percent of all prostate cancers are detected in the local or regional stages. Many men diagnosed and treated at these stages will be disease-free after five years.
However, prostate cancer comes in many forms, and some men can have aggressive prostate cancer even when it appears to be confined to the prostate. The earlier the cancer is detected and treated, the more likely the patient will remain disease-free.
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