Let’s talk about the risk of metastatic prostate cancer and why it’s important to pay attention to changes in your body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 9% of prostate cancer patients are diagnosed at the metastatic stage, meaning after the disease has spread to distant parts of the body.
Whereas 70% of cases are diagnosed early, and 14% of cases are caught when the disease has spread to nearby lymph nodes tissues or organs. That means diagnosing prostate cancer before it spreads happens more often than not. In turn, that means treating the disease early and beating it is a reality for many men facing the diagnosis.
But early detection and treatment start with you — and knowing your risk and your body.
Early Prostate Cancer
Early stages of prostate cancer may lurk silently for years without you even noticing, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. So, it’s important to pay attention to subtle changes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says changes may include:
- Frequent urination, especially during the night
- Pain or burning while using the bathroom
- Changes to bathroom habits
- Pressure or pain in the rectum
- A weak or interrupted flow of urine
- Difficulty when you first start to urinate
- Trouble emptying the bladder
- Pain in the back, hip or pelvis that is persistent
- Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet
- Blood or urine in the semen
- Painful ejaculation
- Erectile dysfunction
Other symptoms according to the Urology Care Foundation include:
- Weight loss
- Appetite loss
- Bone pain
That’s why asking your doctor about these differences and taking your prostate health seriously could save your life.
“Symptoms are symptoms,” the Prostate Cancer Foundation says. Pay attention to your body, listen to it. If you suspect, or feel even subtle changes, don’t ignore it. Get checked out. Better safe than sorry.
Prostate Cancer Screening
Regular prostate health checkups are a must. These include traditional screenings like digital rectal exam or a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test, measuring the levels of PSA, a substance made by the prostate.
Generally, the higher the PSA level the more likely a prostate issue, including prostate cancer, may be present.
Prostate Cancer Treatment
If you or someone you love is diagnosed with prostate cancer, seek answers — and treatment — right away. The earlier prostate cancer is caught and treated, the better the chance of beating the disease.
There are a lot of different treatment options depending on the type and stage of cancer, your age and your overall health.
Treatments can include surgery, chemotherapy, other drug therapies and radiation.
Many American men, more than 60,000 choose radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer each year, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
That’s because the success rate for prostate cancer treated with radiation is well-documented, and there is a proven safety track record. But not all radiation treatments are the same.
CyberKnife Miami for Prostate Cancer Care
CyberKnife, which uses a state-of-the-art form of radiation called stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT, has a very high success rate treating prostate cancer. According to CyberKnife Miami, it’s about 95% when detected early. That’s just one reason CyberKnife is the number one treatment choice for men who qualify for it.
The experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami, who see prostate cancer patients on a regular basis point out the distinct advantages of CyberKnife:
- It’s noninvasive.
- There is no anesthesia or cutting.
- It doesn’t come with the risks of surgery like infection and long periods of downtime.
- CyberKnife’s treatments can be done in five therapy sessions over 10 days instead of 42 over three months with other types of radiation treatments.
- The CyberKnife radiation beams, which target and destroy the tumor, are exceedingly precise. That means there are less risks of side effects including impotence and incontinence. That’s a relief to most men who are looking for alternative treatment options for prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Near Me
If you want to learn more about CyberKnife for prostate cancer, contact the experts at CyberKnife Miami for a consultation. We treat patients from across South Florida, the United States and even around the world.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us at 305-279-2900, and go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.