Prostate Cancer Stages and Treatments
Many men do not realize that they have a choice when a physician recommends a prostate biopsy. Often they sit there in shock when told that they will need a biopsy. This scenario is played out over a million times annually though out the United States each year. The fact that alternative diagnostic procedures are not discussed or even brought to the patient's attention is amazing. It is important to note that medical practitioners have relied upon prostate biopsies since the first one performed in 1930. A lot has changed in eighty years however the prostate biopsy is still the most relied upon diagnostic procedure. Today revenue generation from prostate biopsies is estimated at 3 billion dollars annually in the US. If you have ever found yourself facing a biopsy you may be surprised how most health care providers fail to discuss the alternatives to a prostate biopsy. In addition no one ever discusses the fact that men who undergo a prostate biopsy often experience side effects due to the procedure itself.
Numerous physicians are now recommending HIFU to their prostate cancer patients due to the limited number of harmful side effects associated with the procedure. HIFU offers patients a procedure that is controlled and precise, thereby limiting side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence, which are common with other treatments for prostate cancer. A prostate cancer patient only needs to devote up to three hours for this procedure and may leave mere hours after the procedure it done. They just have to wait for the anesthesia used to minimize discomfort to wear off. HIFU is non-ionizing and does not utilize radiation. Therefore, HIFU treatment can be used on a number of occasions without damaging healthy tissue. Due to this, physicians use HIFU when they do not see successful results using other prostate cancer treatments.
The Sonablate 500 is possibly the most well known HIFU therapy option utilized for the treatment of prostate cancer. It is currently used in a number of hospitals and clinics around the world. It is controlled through a computer and delivers the HIFU energy directed right at the infected area via a small rectal probe. Through this action, all tissue infected by cancer is eliminated. Through the use of integrated biplanar ultrasound imaging, relating planning and monitoring is offered throughout the duration of the treatment, as well as images both before and after of the entire infected region.
A common staging system used for prostate cancer is the TNM system. This means T-Tumor, N-Nodes and M-Metastasize. First, the size and extent of the primary tumor is described/measured. Then checks are done to see of the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or metastasized elsewhere.
In the T stages (T1-T4) the cancer is rated from 0 to 4 depending on evidence of the cancer being localized in the prostate gland and surrounding areas. For T-0, there is no evidence of a primary tumor in the prostate. T-1 (a, b, or c) shows a tumor in the prostate, with a less than 5%, b greater than 5% and c -there is evidence of a tumor as identified by a needle biopsy. For T-2 stages, the tumor is confined within the prostate.
Another alternative non-invasive evaluation for prostate cancer can be performed with a standard MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). The MRI's accuracy is 89%. Despite the fact that an MRI tends to over-stage the tumor; most physicians feel that an MRI does not provide added information over the results available from surgically invasive prostate biopsies and PSA data. [2] Recent development and use of MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRI-S) expands the diagnostic assessment of prostate cancer beyond the traditional information provided by a standard MRI. [3,4,5] This newer technology MRI-S uses multiple coils to provide a better image of the prostate and cancerous tumors if present.
Richard R. Lotenfoe, MD, is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Board Certified Urological Surgeon in Orlando, Florida. He specializes in the treatment of prostate cancer using the HIFU procedure.The HIFU Treatment uses ultrasound to destroy prostate cancer cells.
Numerous physicians are now recommending HIFU to their prostate cancer patients due to the limited number of harmful side effects associated with the procedure. HIFU offers patients a procedure that is controlled and precise, thereby limiting side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence, which are common with other treatments for prostate cancer. A prostate cancer patient only needs to devote up to three hours for this procedure and may leave mere hours after the procedure it done. They just have to wait for the anesthesia used to minimize discomfort to wear off. HIFU is non-ionizing and does not utilize radiation. Therefore, HIFU treatment can be used on a number of occasions without damaging healthy tissue. Due to this, physicians use HIFU when they do not see successful results using other prostate cancer treatments.
The Sonablate 500 is possibly the most well known HIFU therapy option utilized for the treatment of prostate cancer. It is currently used in a number of hospitals and clinics around the world. It is controlled through a computer and delivers the HIFU energy directed right at the infected area via a small rectal probe. Through this action, all tissue infected by cancer is eliminated. Through the use of integrated biplanar ultrasound imaging, relating planning and monitoring is offered throughout the duration of the treatment, as well as images both before and after of the entire infected region.
A common staging system used for prostate cancer is the TNM system. This means T-Tumor, N-Nodes and M-Metastasize. First, the size and extent of the primary tumor is described/measured. Then checks are done to see of the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or metastasized elsewhere.
In the T stages (T1-T4) the cancer is rated from 0 to 4 depending on evidence of the cancer being localized in the prostate gland and surrounding areas. For T-0, there is no evidence of a primary tumor in the prostate. T-1 (a, b, or c) shows a tumor in the prostate, with a less than 5%, b greater than 5% and c -there is evidence of a tumor as identified by a needle biopsy. For T-2 stages, the tumor is confined within the prostate.
Another alternative non-invasive evaluation for prostate cancer can be performed with a standard MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). The MRI's accuracy is 89%. Despite the fact that an MRI tends to over-stage the tumor; most physicians feel that an MRI does not provide added information over the results available from surgically invasive prostate biopsies and PSA data. [2] Recent development and use of MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRI-S) expands the diagnostic assessment of prostate cancer beyond the traditional information provided by a standard MRI. [3,4,5] This newer technology MRI-S uses multiple coils to provide a better image of the prostate and cancerous tumors if present.
Richard R. Lotenfoe, MD, is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and Board Certified Urological Surgeon in Orlando, Florida. He specializes in the treatment of prostate cancer using the HIFU procedure.The HIFU Treatment uses ultrasound to destroy prostate cancer cells.
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