Prostate Cancer - common, curable disease

By Robert Pugach, MD

Hardly a week goes by without hearing about someone you know being diagnosed with prostate cancer.  We diagnose more than 250,000 new cases of prostate cancer every year and 50,000 men die from it. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among US men. These are frightening statistics. 

People are not statistics.  Learning about prostate cancer and how it can be diagnosed and treated is the best way to prevent serious problems from developing.  At Pacific Coast Urology my staff and I firmly believe in the value of early detection because early detection is the key to successful treatment.

Causes of Prostate Cancer

While the causes of prostate cancer are still unknown, some risk factors have been identified:

·         Age - the chances of developing prostate cancer increase with age

·         Genetics (Black American men have a higher risk of getting prostate cancer than do Japanese or White American men)

·         Heredity (a person whose father, or paternal grandfather or uncle has prostate cancer is at an increased risk for developing prostate cancer)

·         Hormonal influences (testosterone, the male hormone, may stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells)

·         Environmental, dietary and lifestyle factors such as, smoking, diets high in saturated fats, toxins, chemicals, and industrial products.

·         Obesity

Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Most cases of prostate cancer do not produce any symptoms in its early stages so it can grow and spread silently beyond the prostate.  That’s why annual screening is so important – it can save your life.  When signs and symptoms begin, they may include:

§  Blood in your urine

§  Dull pain in your lower pelvic area

§  General pain in your lower back, hips or upper thighs

§  Urgency of urination

§  Difficulty starting urination

§  Pain during urination

§  Loss of appetite and weight

§  Painful ejaculation

§  Weak or intermittent urine flow and dribbling 

§  A sensation that your bladder does not empty

§  Frequent urination during the night 

Can Prostate Cancer be Prevented?

Until the exact cause of prostate cancer is identified we can hope only to prevent the spread of the cancer by making early diagnoses and then attempt to cure it. Early detection can be made by screening men with yearly examinations and a PSA blood test, beginning at age 45. The purpose of the screening is to identify early microscopic cancers that are confined to the prostate gland so that a cure is possible. 

Maintaining a diet low in saturated fats and avoiding red meats may slow down the growth rate of prostate tumors,  Soybean products may decrease testosterone levels which can inhibit the growth of prostate tumors. Tomato products (lycopenes), selenium, flaxseed oil and vitamin E may slow the growth of prostate tumors. 

How is Prostate Cancer Diagnosed?

If the digital rectal exam of the prostate or the PSA blood test is abnormal, a prostate cancer may be present. A biopsy is then performed.  This simple office procedure takes approximately 10 minutes.

How is Prostate Cancer Treated?

This depends on the size, aggressiveness, and extent of the tumor, as well as on the age, general health and preference of the patient.

Options for treating prostate cancer include surgery, cryoablation, radiation, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, hormonal treatment, chemotherapy and watchful waiting.

Cryoablation

An iced ball is created within the prostate to achieve sub-freezing temperatures, using Argon gas.  When the “lethal ice” temperature is reached, cancer cells are killed. 

Radiation

There are several types – external or internal (where tiny radioactive seeds are placed throughout the prostate to deliver a constant dose of radiation for several months to kill prostate cancer cells. 

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound

Dr. Pugach also is one of a few urologists in the United States trained and skilled in treating prostate cancer patients with High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) HIFU uses ultrasound energy to heat and destroy targeted areas of tissue. The sound waves pass through healthy tissue without causing damage.  HIFU is not yet approved for use in the US but is available in many other countries.

If you are a man over 45 years of age or have any of the risk factors described above, Dr. Pugach recommends you schedule an exam and a PSA blood test.   Early diagnosis is the key.  We encourage you to schedule an appointment with your urologist or primary care physician for your prostate cancer screening.

 If you’d like to learn more about prostate cancer and screening tests, call Pacific Coast Urology Medical Center at  888-735-4336 for an appointment.

 Offices located in Orange and Los Angeles Counties, CA (Huntington Harbour and Los Alamitos, California).