Prostate Cancer Center

Prostate disease - benign and malignant (cancerous)--is very common, particularly in older men. The prostate is a walnut-sized organ that surrounds the urethra; it produces a fluid that becomes part of semen.

According to the National Cancer Institute, more than half of the men in the United States between the ages of 60 and 70, and as many as ninety percent between the ages of 70 and 90 have symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH.) Although this condition is seldom a threat to life, it may require treatment to relieve symptoms, which include difficulty urinating and frequency of urination, especially at night. The American Cancer Society estimates that 198,100 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in 2001. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that fewer than ten percent of men with prostate cancer die of the disease within 5 years of diagnosis.

Scientists are doing studies to determine whether BPH or a sexually transmitted virus increases the risk for prostate cancer. At this time, they do not have clear evidence of increased risk in either case.

Physicians commonly use two methods for detecting prostate cancer:

• Digital rectal examination (DRE) has been used for years as a screening test, but its ability to detect prostate cancer is limited. Tumors often form in areas of the prostate that cannot be reached by a DRE. Clinicians also can have difficulty distinguishing between benign abnormalities and prostate cancer.
• The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement is a blood test used by many doctors use. PSA is an enzyme measured in the blood that can rise naturally as men age or if prostate abnormalities are present. However, the PSA test cannot distinguish prostate cancer from benign growth or other conditions, such as prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate). PSA testing also fails to detect some prostate cancers.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America, we use many tools to help you fight prostate cancer on all fronts. A powerful combination of traditional and new, innovative therapies are provided by cancer experts who work with you to determine the appropriate combination of therapies, which may include:

• High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy for internal radiotherapy. This method of precisely delivering radiation from the inside out spares surrounding healthy tissue and organs and may reduce the need for surgery.
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) for the most advanced form of conformal radiotherapy. IMRT employs a powerful, advanced computer program that plans a precise dose of radiation in three dimensions based on individual tumor size, shape and location. IMRT allows for higher radiation doses than traditional radiotherapy methods, while sparing more of the surrounding healthy tissue.
• Fractionated Dose Chemotherapy divides a powerful dose of drugs into smaller doses, given over several days. This approach exposes cancer cells to the drugs for a longer period of time, while also seeking to reduce the unpleasant side effects often experienced with larger doses.

Prostate cancer can be especially devastating to a man. In addition to the therapies described above, CTCA enriches your treatment by offering complementary and alternative therapies such as naturopathic medicine, nutritional therapy, mind-body medicine, image enhancement and spiritual counseling. CTCA is with you every step of the way in what truly is the fight of your life.