Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death for males in the United States. About one in seven males will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime, and about one in 35 males will die from it.
To help treat prostate cancer, Summa Health’s advanced prostate cancer clinic features fellowship-trained urologists who offer a full spectrum of treatments, including robotic and minimally invasive surgical options. They have even published and presented research at national and international meetings.
Growths in the prostate gland can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Benign growths, such as benign prostatic hypertrophy are rarely a threat to life, don't invade the tissues around them, don't spread to other parts of the body, and can be removed without typically growing back.
On the other hand, malignant growths (prostate cancer) may be life-threatening, can invade nearby organs and tissues such as the bladder or rectum, and may spread to other parts of the body. While the growths often can be removed, they sometimes grow back.
In its early stages, prostate cancer may have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can be like those of an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with:
A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, like smoking, can be changed. Others, like your age or family history, can’t be changed.
But having a risk factor, or even several risk factors does not mean that you will get the disease. And some people who get the disease may have few or no known risk factors. For prostate cancer, risk factors include:
If you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you to help make the decision that best fits your needs. Some important things to consider include:
Depending on your case, treatment options may include:
New types of treatment are also being tested in clinical trials. Talk to your Summa Health specialist to find out more.