Prostate cancer and its diagnosis

Posted by CancerInformation on April 24th, 2014

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland of the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer usually affects men over the age of 50.  According to studies, prostate cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer related death in men, and the condition has shown an increasing rate across the world. The direct cause of prostate cancer has not been confirmed yet, but genetics and diet have been shown to have impacted the development of prostate cancer. Recent studies have also linked light pollution as a cause of development of this condition.

In prostate cancer, the cells of the prostate gland of the male reproductive system become malignant, and they start to divide and grow in an uncontrolled fashion at the expense of the nearby healthy cells. The condition often does not show any prominent symptoms in the early stages, but in time becomes more prevalent. A test which can help confirm the diagnosis of prostate cancer is a biopsy, often a prostate specific antigen test (PSA) is also carried out for the same.

Treatment of prostate cancer

The 3 standard treatment options for prostate cancer include: Brachytherapy, External Beam Radiation Therapy and Radical Prostatectomy. A brief discussion of the three is provided below:

•    Brachytherapy: The process involves implantation of radioactive seeds in the prostate. In this case, the radioactive implants are scattered or placed at particular locations near the cancer, to kill the surrounding cancerous cells.
•    External Beam Radiation Therapy: The process also known as EBRT involves delivery of targeted radiation to a specific area. There are different forms of EBRT which are used in different cases according to other conditions of the patient.
•    Radical Prostatectomy Surgery: The process usually involves removing the whole prostate and also the seminal vesicles. There are three types of Radical prostatectomy which can be performed depending on other conditions of the patient. 

About Author
Dr. Echt and his team at the Prostate Seed Institute offer the most highly sophisticated methods of radiation therapy available in the United States, equal to that found in major medical center and academic settings. These include prostate seed implantation, high dose radiation implants, and external beam radiation with image-guided and intensity-modulated (IGRT and IMRT) capabilities.