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Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland in males that uses male hormones called androgens, such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), to trigger and maintain male sex characteristics and reproduction. Prostate cancer begins when cells in the prostate gland start to grow out of control.

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about one man in nine will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

In many cases, prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer that does not spread beyond the prostate gland before the time of diagnosis. However, some cases are more aggressive and need more urgent treatment. Prostate cancer that is detected early, when it is still confined to the prostate gland, has the best chance for successful treatment.

Researchers have found several factors that might affect a man’s risk of getting prostate cancer, including:

  • Age: your chance of developing prostate cancer rapidly increases after the age of 50, and roughly six in ten cases are found in men over the age of 65.
  • Race/ethnicity: prostate cancer occurs more often in African-American men than in men of other races
  • Family history: in some cases there may be an inherited or genetic factor that can help indicate prostate cancer. If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, there is more than double the risk of developing this disease.
What is a prostate screening?

As with all cancers, an important part of the treatment process is detecting the cancer as early as possible. Northern Ohio Regional Cancer Center recommends following the American Cancer Society’s guide for prostate cancer screening. The screening process will include the following:

  • A digital rectal exam
  • PSA blood draw

Typically, if an initial digital rectal exam comes back with abnormal results, the next step would be a PSA blood test followed by an imaging test of the prostate gland. Should your PSA levels be high, a prostate biopsy may be recommended as a follow up to the screening. A biopsy is a procedure in which small samples of the prostate are removed and then looked at under a microscope. If prostate cancer is found on a biopsy, this test can also help tell how likely it is that the cancer will grow and spread quickly.

If you are interested in getting a prostate screening, please fill out the form, and one of our team members will contact you to set up an appointment.

What Does A Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Mean?

Prostate Biopsy Procedure

If the results of your PSA blood test, digital rectal exam, or other tests suggest that you might have prostate cancer, you will most likely need a prostate biopsy. This is a procedure in which small samples of prostate tissue are removed and then examined under a microscope. Prostate biopsy usually causes only some brief discomfort. The area is numbed prior to the procedure and the biopsy itself takes about 10 minutes. 12 core samples are taken from the Prostate Gland.

What Is A Gleason Score?

If prostate cancer is found on a biopsy, it will be assigned a grade. The grade of the cancer is based on how abnormal the cancer looks under the microscope. Higher grade cancers look more abnormal, and are more likely to grow and spread quickly. Your Gleason Score helps determine how aggressive the tumor cells appear under a microscope. The pathologist looking at the biopsy sample will assign one Gleason grade to the most predominant pattern in your biopsy and a second Gleason grade to the second most predominant pattern then add them up. Your Gleason Score can help tell:

  • Whether cancer is present in your prostate
  • How quickly it is growing
  • How likely it may be to spread to other parts of your body

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer Include:

  • Trouble Urinating
  • Decreased force in the stream of urine
  • Blood in your urine
  • Blood in your semen
  • Pain in your hips or back
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Weight Loss

Because these symptoms may overlap with those of other conditions, it is important to get the correct diagnosis to find the right treatment. To help determine the best option for you the American Cancer Society recommends prostate screenings.

What Else Can The Prostate Biopsy Tell Us?

Along with the grade of the cancer (if it is present), the pathology report often contains other information about the cancer, such as: The number of biopsy core samples that contain cancer (for example, “7 out of 12”)

  • If the prostate cells do not look like cancer but are not quite normal, either (Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia(PIN)
  • The percentage of cancer in each of the cores
  • Whether the cancer is on one side (left or right) of the prostate or on both sides (bilateral)
  • Further genetic and molecular testing can be ordered to understand how aggressive the tumor is and can assist with making treatment planning decisions Observation or Active Surveillance
How do we treat prostate cancer?

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer involves the use of high-energy beams or radioactive seeds to eliminate tumors. Which radiation therapy approach we recommend depends on the unique characteristics of your disease. We offer radiation therapy, either alone or in combination with androgen hormone deprivation therapy, to combat all stages of prostate cancer. In some cases, we use it as a primary treatment approach; in others, we use it after surgery if there are signs that your cancer has come back. In some circumstances, nonradioactive gold seed markers may be implanted in the prostate or prostate bed to help the radiation therapist accurately position your body during treatment. Treatments are scheduled Monday through Friday over the course of several weeks. In some cases, we can delivery higher doses of radiation in fewer treatments.

At Northern Ohio Regional Cancer Center, we deliver a fast and high-quality treatment with comfort and convenience. Our linear accelerator generates photons, or x-rays, that are used in the Image Guided Radiation Therapy delivery process. This linear accelerator uses a multi-leaf collimator to precisely aim the radiation at the tumor while avoiding damage to the normal, healthy cells.

Your treatment is custom-tailored and unique to your diagnosis, tumor size, location and involvement. Your radiation oncologist (a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with radiation) will review all available treatment options and recommend a personalized plan for you based on national guidelines, which guide all cancer treatments. Radiation therapy can be used either alone or in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy and surgery.

Making Treatment Decisions

At Northern Ohio Regional Caner Center, we know how important it is to discuss all your treatment options, including goals and possible side effects of therapy. We will help you make decisions that best fits your needs. Some important things to consider include:

  • The stage and grade of your cancer
  • Your age and expected life span
  • Any other serious health conditions you have
  • Your feelings (and your doctor’s opinion) about the need to treat the cancer right away
  • The likelihood that treatment will cure your cancer (or help in some other way)
  • Your feelings about the possible side effects from each treatment
  • You may feel that you must make a decision quickly, but it’s important to give yourself time to absorb the information you have just learned. Ask us questions if there is anything you’re not sure about

Advantages to External Beam/Conventional Radiation Therapy

  • No risk of bleeding or heart attack from treatment
  • Can treat wide age range of patients
  • Low risk of urinary incontinence and urethral stricture
  • Maintain erectile function (in the short term)
  • May treat cancer beyond the prostate
  • Noninvasive; Not painful
  • No anesthesia
  • No recovery time; may resume normal activity immediately after treatments

Talk To A Team Member Today

We know you have a choice about where you get your cancer care but we hope you’ll choose us. Here are the top reasons why we believe Northern Ohio Regional Cancer Center is the best choice:

  • We use the most advanced therapies available.
  • Our doctor is specially trained and board certified. Meet Dr. Jon Prescott!
  • Our medical, technical and support staff are experts at what they do.
  • Our treatment plans follow national guidelines and are the same protocols as those used by the top academic cancer centers.
  • We work as a one team that is closely coordinated, with one focus.
  • We want everyone to feel like family.
  • We keep close tabs on your physical, mental and emotional well-being because we care about quality of life.
  • You get to stay close to home, surrounded by the love and support of your family and friends.