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Prostate Cancer and Treatment Options

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  • Find out if you are a potential candidate for a robotic-assisted prostatectomy (prostate surgery).

Prostate Cancer Overview

Prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the prostate. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder). The prostate gland produces fluid that is one of the components of semen.

Prostate cancer is among the most common cancers diagnosed in men. In the U.S., one in six men will be diagnosed in his lifetimes.

While no one will say facing prostate cancer is easy, the good news is with increased awareness and screening, more men are diagnosed early. That means most cancers are found while still localized in the prostate before the cancer has spread.


Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

When prostate cancer is believed to be localized, the following common treatment options available to a patient:

  • Surgical removal of the cancerous prostate (radical prostatectomy)
  • Radiation of the cancerous prostate, through either external radiation or radioactive seed implants (radiation therapy or brachytherapy, respectively)Freezing of the cancerous prostate (cryotherapy)
  • Hormonal therapy, which is non-curative and often done in conjunction with radiation therapy or cryotherapy
  • Observation (watchful waiting)

Learn more about other Prostate Cancer Treatment Options >> 

 

Surgery to Remove Prostate Cancer

For localized prostate cancer, removal of the prostate gland and some tissue around it (radical prostatectomy) is considered the definitive way to treat the cancer. Approximately 91 percent of prostate cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. are localized. This means most men diagnosed with prostate cancer are potential candidates for cancer removal, but patients should discuss with their doctor the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

Surgery as an option offers several benefits:

  • Allows your doctor see how aggressive the tumor is and whether it has spread.
  • Easier for your doctor to detect a cancer recurrence, through careful PSA monitoring, after a radical prostatectomy than after radiation therapy.
  • Preserve your options if your cancer returns – after radiation therapy, there may be damage to the tissue surrounding the prostate and, nerve-sparing surgery may no longer be an option if cancer comes back.
  • Potentially a greater chance of survival – several large studies suggest there is a greater chance of long-term survival for patients undergoing surgery over other potential treatments.

 

Robotic-Assisted Prostatectomy, a Precise Alternative

Thanks to technological advancements, a minimally invasive option for prostate surgery is available using robotic-assisted surgery. This technology enables Fletcher Allen’s skilled robotic surgeons to perform major surgery through the smallest of incisions.

Learn more about the Benefits of Robotic-Assisted Prostate Surgery >>

Contact a Fletcher Allen Urologist

To find out if you are a potential candidate for a prostatectomy, please download our candidacy questionnaire. Or, talk to a Fletcher Allen urologist who performs da Vinci robotic surgery for prostate cancer.