Prostate cancer is the most common solid organ cancer in men. Last year there were 164,690 new cases, and 29,430 deaths related to prostate cancer. While the incidence varies in different countries, genetic makeup, diet, and exposure to carcinogens contribute to the development of the disease. White males over fifty have a higher likelihood of developing the disease, and black males more frequently develop a more aggressive type of prostate cancer.
The good news is that there are new advances in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
There are a significant number of men with an elevated prostate-specific antigen blood test who undergo expensive and invasive testing looking for prostate cancer. Many of them don’t have the disease. Recently there have been breakthrough developments of new genetic markers and more efficient diagnostic testing that can help determine whether or not a biopsy is needed. These tests may involve the collection of blood and urine and even an MRI of the gland.
There are a wide variety of treatment options available for prostate cancer patients depending upon the aggressiveness and stage of the disease. These include, removing the prostate with a minimally invasive incision or a robotic procedure; radiation with or without seed implantation, cryosurgery (an outpatient technique that freezes the prostate gland); and HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound, which destroys the cancerous tissue with ultrasound waves). In some cases with a very slow growing tumor, the patient may elect to do active surveillance where he is monitored at regular intervals.
Specialists recognize general guidelines as a step in the right direction Physicians with Georgia Urology, the largest urology practice in the Southeast, are encouraged by the recently updated guidelines for prostate cancer screenings suggested by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF.) The latter, an independent group of experts, released a statement recommending men between […]
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With masks, hand sanitizer, and socially distancing, Georgia Urology’s Dr. Jeffrey Proctor will continue to host the annual ICA Walk for an IC Cure in Cartersville, Georgia. Georgia Urology’s Dr. Jeffrey Proctor serves as the ICA Medical Advisory Board Member and practices at our Cartersville office. He graduated from New York Medical College, where he […]
