Prostate Cancer Symptoms Tips What is prostate cancer symptoms? We have tips about prostate cancer symptoms

One of the most prominent prostate cancer treatments available is high intensity focused ultrasound, or HIFU. This updated technology helps men by removing cancerous tissue on the prostate and around it via an advanced acoustic ablation technique using ultrasound wave powers. The area where the cancer is forming is targeted via sound waves enabling HIFU to raise the tissue's temperature, causing the tissue to break down, thus eliminating the cancer.

Many physicians recommend HIFU because of the limited harmful side effects if presents. Because of the precision and control associated with HIFU, other side effects common to other prostate cancer treatments, including incontinence and erectile dysfunction, are greatly reduced. The whole HIFU procedure often takes only three hours and a few hours after the procedure is over, men are able to go home. Minimal anesthesia is utilized during the HIFU process to lower the level of discomfort men may feel with the rectal probe. HIFU does not use radiation and is considered non-ionizing. This simple means that the HIFU treatment may be utilized on more than one occasion if necessary without causing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Because of this fact, many cancer physicians utilize HIFU if they find little success with other treatment options for prostate cancer.

For prostate cancer treatment, many physicians look toward the Sonablate 500, a very well known HIFU system utilized in many hospitals and clinics. Controlled via a computer, the Sonablate 500 delivers HIFU energy toward the prostate using a rectal probe. This action is set to eliminate all tissue in the area that has been affected by cancer. The Sonablate 500 utilizes integrated biplanar ultrasound imaging, offering real-time monitoring and planning of the treatment, as well as before and after images of the prostate and the infected area.

The HIFU system can be compared to the concept of focusing the rays of the sun through any magnifying lens. Precise focusing of the ultrasound energy is provided by HIFU. This focusing of the ultrasound energy increases the affected tissue's temperature in the targeted area. This is done very rapidly while all unaffected tissue in the area remains safe and does not increase in temperature. The physician, when the procedure is over, is able to monitor the precise lesion located in the target area. However, before this can occur, first the physician creates a plan to locate all the infected tissue areas. Numerous physicians prescribe to HIFU because it offers high imaging resolution. This enables physicians to efficiently identify the vital structures in the area, including the recta wall, neurovascular bundles, and seminal vesicles. This guarantees that only cancer-affected areas are targeted and no unnecessary damage occurs.

Before the HIFU therapy can occur, patients must have two enemas prior to the treatment, often two hours. Light anesthesia is administered to ensure that the patient remains completely still throughout the procedure as a very small rectal probe is used. This probe emits a number of ultrasound waves that will bounce off tissue. Physicians are provided with real-time images of the entire area, providing them with detailed and immediate feedback. At the end of the procedure, only two hours of recovery time are needed to let the anesthesia wear off. In only a few days time, patients may return to their life.

Dr. Anshu Guleria and his staff at the Virginia Prostate Cancer Center have considerable experience in minimally invasive treatments for prostate cancer. They will take the time to sit down with you to see if HIFU is the right prostate cancer treatment for you. When HIFU became available in North America, Dr. Guleria studied the reports of its use in Europe and decided that HIFU is going to be the next evolution in localized prostate cancer therapy. Dr. Guleria is the most experienced doctor practicing HIFU for Prostate Cancer in Virginia and he looks forward to helping you decide what is the best prostate cancer treatment option for you. For more information, please go to http://www.virginiaprostatecancer.com/

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Prostate cancer is a serious problem that is most commonly found in older men. It is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in men of all ages, and the most common cause of cancer related deaths in men over 75. It is rarely found in men younger than 40 so it is very important to have common prostate checkups around that age.

Prostate cancer starts in the prostate gland, which is the walnut sized structure that is part of a man's reproductive system. There are a number of different treatment options. Doctors will run tests and review all of the different options with patients to come up with the most effective plan to treat prostate cancer.

One of the most well-known treatments is prostate surgery. Prostate surgery requires removing the prostate and tissue around it. This is really only an option when the cancer has not spread past the prostate gland making early detection critical. Before this surgery is done is does require a thorough discussion between the doctor and patient about all of the possible side effects and benefits. There are problems that can arise after the surgery which includes erection problems and difficulty controlling urine and bowel movements.

Another prostate treatment is radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is going to use x-rays or other radioactive methods to kills cancer cells. This is another treatment that works most effectively on prostate cancer that has not spread outside of the prostate. It may also be used after surgery to make sure no cancer cells survived in the prostate area.

This prostate cancer treatment is mostly painless and radiation therapy will normally last for 6 to 8 weeks. Treatments are normally done five times a week, but the patient can come from home they do not have to stay in the hospital. The device that uses radiation to kill prostate cancer cells looks like a normal x-ray machine. The side effects of this treatment can include impotence, loss of appetite, skin problems, and bladder problems.

Other slightly less used treatments include prostate brachytherapy, hormone therapy, and proton therapy. Brachytherapy includes placing little radioactive seeds into the prostate to kill cancer cells. Hormone therapy uses drugs to treat the symptoms associated with prostate cancer. Proton therapy is another radiation treatment but it normally causes less damage to the surrounding area. In the end, the best prostate cancer treatment is early detection and close monitoring of the area.

The Prostate Clinic, treatment and complete care for all the diseases and conditions which affect the prostate, urinary and reproductive system. Please visit our website at http://www.theprostateclinic.com/

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In its simplest form, Seed implant therapy for prostate cancer is a curative form of treatment where radioactive material are placed within the prostate gland. The radiation doses around these sources are huge and are not achievable by any other method of radiation. By exposing cancer cells to this amount of radiation, it does make intuitive sense that this should achieve higher cancer cure rates compared to other forms of treatment.

A Brief History: This procedure was first utilized in the 1970's at several cancer centers throughout the country. Unfortunately, lack of good imaging of the prostate caused inaccurate placement of these seed implants as well causing less than optimal control of these cancers as well as producing horrendous side effects.

What has changed now? With improved imaging with ultrasound technology and high quality computer software, it is now possible to place the radiation seeds a lot more accurately resulting in improved predictability of cancer control and side effects.

What kind of Patients will this work in? Patients with Prostate cancer who are predicted to have a high probability of cancer confined to the prostate can be offered this form of treatment alone.

What about patients who have more advanced disease?: In those patients where the cancer is a little more advanced, but not widespread, can be offered this form of treatment in addition to a 5 week course of external beam radiation therapy. The 5 week course of external radiation therapy allows us to "mop" up cancer cells that may have migrated beyond the capsule of the prostate gland and / or may have spread into the lymph glands surrounding the prostate. The radiation from the seed implant procedure is unable to reach these cancer cells that have escaped beyond the prostate gland. Hence, the combination of both external beam radiation with the seed implant procedure does make a lot of intuitive sense in this group of patients.

What are the types of prostate seed implant procedures that are available?

There are basically two types of procedures.

1) Permanent seed implants: Radioactive seeds are placed within the prostate gland uniformly and left in place forever. The radiation from these seeds are given out slowly over a period of days to months which kills cancer cells. The most common radioactive material that are used in this procedure include radioactive iodine and radioactive palladium. Each of these elements have their own unique characteristics but none have been found superior over the other. The inert seeds which run out of radioactivity remain within the prostate and are harmless. The patient is radioactive for the first one to two months after the procedure, hence prolonged contact with young children and pregnant women should be avoided during this time.

2) Temporary seed implants: Radioactive seeds are placed within needles and catheters that are placed within the prostate gland through a procedure called HDR Brachytherapy. These are then connected to an HDR machine which moves radioactive Iridium into the needles and catheters to different positions within the prostate for specified durations. The total irradiation time is usually only about 10 to 15 minutes. Once the procedure is completed, the catheters and needles are removed and the patient is allowed to go home. This procedure is generally done in two or more sessions to allow delivery of appropriate amounts of radiation to the prostate.

Prostate cancer patients where seed implant is a relative contra-indication: There are certain situations that seed implant becomes problematic. These are those patients who have:
1. undergone a TURP procedure.
2. The anatomy of the pelvis causes what is called pubic arch interference which makes the placement of seeds very difficult to cover the entire gland.
3. Major urinary bladder outlet obstructive symptoms. This again is reflective of the size of the gland making uniform distribution of the seed implant difficult.
4. Obese patients. Procedure becomes difficult and may not allow appropriate distribution of radiation with optimal effects.

What are the problems with seed implant procedure for Prostate cancer? It is an operating room procedure requiring anesthesia, the help of a Urologist, Radiation Oncologist and Physicist. As in any kind of operating procedure, there are inherent risks of any kind of surgery such as bleeding, infection etc.

Is the Seed implant procedure better than other forms of radiation therapy? There are no studies comparing seed implant treatment of prostate cancer with other forms of radiation. So, the answer is still unknown and most likely will never be known. All we can say at this time is that prostate seed implant procedure is not inferior to other forms of radiation treatment and so it will be basically be up to the patient and the consulting radiation doctor to decide on what is best for each individual situation.

Dr. Kumar is a board certified Radiation Oncologist who is co-founder of a private practice group in Florida. He has over 17 years experience dealing with cancer patients including several members in his own family who have been afflicted by this disease.

His philosophy of managing patients is through a unique holistic approach that takes into account the wishes and needs of patients and their families. He believes that any battle is won at the level of the mind first before the body goes into action to win the war. His website http://curingcancerofthemind.com/ reflects this philosophy.

He is always available to help any patient with questions regarding cancer and radiation therapy and can be reached at 772 293 0377.

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