Did you know that prostate cancer will result in the death of almost 35,000 American men in 2023? While the mortality rate for this disease is on the decline, the number still remains significantly high. This is why early diagnosis and prostate cancer treatment are so important.
Let’s take a closer look.
Early Treatment Results in Faster Recovery
With early detection by digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen blood testing (PSA) at your urologist’s office, prostate cancer can be treated successfully and quickly. Even sexual function and vitality can be preserved–something that’s important to most men. This is why routine screening is important and should not be skipped.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms Can Spread
While many cases of prostate cancer stay localized within the gland itself and cause no appreciable symptoms, some are more aggressive, causing problems such as:
- Pelvic and lower back pain
- Blood in the urine
- Painful ejaculation
- Urinary retention (bladder does not empty completely)
- Weak urine stream, which stops and starts
While some of these symptoms may be related to other conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), they can be indicative of conditions like prostate cancer. That’s why routine screenings and checkups with your urologist once symptoms develop are important.
Additionally, as with most other kinds of cancer, prostate malignancies can spread to the bone and other areas of the body. This metastasis makes the cancer harder to treat.
Your urological surgeon and oncologist may select prostatectomy if your cancer has spread. While often helping patients achieve remission of their prostate cancer, this invasive surgery is not without its side effects. Routine annual screenings, early detection, and early treatment can help you avoid such complex treatments later on down the road.
There Are Many Treatment Options
Because many cases of prostate cancer grow slowly, your urologist may recommend a passive form of treatment called surveillance. With surveillance, the patient receives DREs, PSA blood tests, and biopsies more regularly than a man without a cancer diagnosis. It’s a wait-and-see approach to treatment, which can prove effective and safe.
Other methods of treatment are radiation and chemotherapy. Additionally, many cancer researchers are developing treatments, such as immunotherapy and hormonal solutions, which can prove effective for men with certain kinds of prostate cancer and health profiles. With so many effective solutions available today, you are more likely than ever before to find the perfect solution for you.
With Treatment, Survival Rates Are High
The current five-year survival rate for cancer contained within the prostate is 98 percent according to the American Cancer Society. That number plummets to 32 percent if prostate cancer has gone undetected and spread. So, screening tests, early detection, and individualized treatment plans are crucial to survival.
Prostate Cancer Treatment in Phoenix, Arizona
At Ironwood Urology, Dr. Desiderio Avila Jr. and his team work with men to achieve and maintain good prostate health. They use in-office exams, PSA blood tests, accurate MRI ultrasound imaging, and biopsies to detect cancer at its earliest stages. There is hope and help for prostate cancer, so don’t avoid seeking help.
To learn more or to schedule your prostate cancer screening, call us for an appointment at (480) 961-2323. Or, you may request a visit using our online form.
