Staging of prostate cancer, or any cancer for that matter, is a detailed way to describe how much disease is in the body when the cancer is diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s just one factor doctors use to determine how to treat the cancer.
The experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami, a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center in South Florida that uses a noninvasive radiation treatment system called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to kill prostate cancer, want you to understand what staging means, and how it may apply to you.
First things first – when it comes to prostate cancer because of screening guidelines and screening tools like PSA blood tests, 84% are found in the early stages, meaning the cancer is localized in the prostate or has just spread to nearby organs. The five-year survival rate in these cases is excellent, 95% with treatment. As the cancer spreads to other parts of the body the five-year survival rate drops significantly to 31%.
Prostate Cancer Staging
The main stages of prostate cancer range from I to IV, and some stages are split into subcategories. The lower the number means the less the cancer has spread.
Within each stage, doctors use another grouping system, which comes from the American Joint Committee on Cancer and is called the TNM system.
The T stands for tumor.
The N for whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
And the M describes whether or not the cancer has spread or metastasized.
So, in stage I for example, a tumor that doctors can’t see or feel but was diagnosed with a high PSA number and a fine needle biopsy, might be stage I, cT1, N0, M0. That means the tumor is in the early stage and has not spread to the lymph nodes, nor has it metastasized.
Whereas a cancer diagnosed in stage IV, may be any T, any N and M1, meaning the cancer might or might not be growing into nearby tissues, might or might not be in the lymph nodes, but has spread to other parts of the body.
As you can see, staging can be complex and confusing. It’s best to talk with your doctor or seek a second opinion when it comes to treatment options.
CyberKnife for Early-Stage Prostate Cancer
If your treatment calls for radiation, consider CyberKnife, which has some advantages over other types of radiation.
“CyberKnife technology delivers very precise doses of radiation directly to the tumor site and it stays right on its target, even if the patient moves, the robots arm moves with the patient. That in turn greatly reduces the risk of causing damage to nearby healthy tissue and organs, which results in less risk of side effects,” explains Dr. Mark Pomper, radiation oncologist and medical director of CyberKnife Miami in a YouTube video.
That means fewer temporary or long-lasting side effects, a lower risk of toxicity than with traditional radiation, a reduced risk of impotence and a lower chance of urinary incontinence.
Sexual function also remains the same for most patients after treatment.
CyberKnife alone can treat prostate cancer, especially if it’s low grade and localized to the prostate. For early prostate cancers, CyberKnife has a 95% success rate, according to CyberKnife Miami.
Plus, instead of having weeks of daily treatments with traditional radiation, with CyberKnife treatments take about a week.
CyberKnife for Later-Stage Prostate Cancer
As prostate cancer progresses combination treatment can be an option – for instance CyberKnife along with hormone therapy. This combination kills the cancer and stops it from spreading.
“Clinical trials show a benefit in patients who receive hormonal treatment in combination with external beam radiation,” states the Prostate Cancer Foundation website.
CyberKnife for Recurrent or Metastatic Prostate Cancer
According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, regardless of treatment with surgery or radiation, prostate cancer will recur in between one-quarter and one-third of men.
“CyberKnife radiation therapy is an excellent tool to treat recurrent prostate cancer or cancer of any kind,” says Dr. Pomper.
Prostate cancer recurrence is treatable and may even be curable with CyberKnife, and survival rates remains high. At least 94% of patients live at least 15 years after their original diagnoses.
And according to CyberKnife Miami, men who continue to battle prostate cancer can manage the disease and its symptoms with CyberKnife. For these men, prostate cancer becomes akin to managing chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease.
CyberKnife can be particularly helpful to treat bone pain associated with metastatic prostate cancer, and it can even be used in conjunction with hormone treatment or after surgery.
CyberKnife Treatment in South Florida
At the CyberKnife Center of Miami, we have successfully treated hundreds of prostate cancer patients from across the country and right here in South Florida with excellent results. We treat everything from early-stage prostate cancers to the toughest cases.
Our goal is to partner with you through your treatment journey and make sure you are as educated as possible about your options.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us now at 305-279-2900 or go to go to the CyberKnife Miami website for more information.