Prostate Cancer

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Overview

If you've got prostate cancer, or are at increased risk for it, you've come to the right place. Luminis Health provides complete care and support for men with this common and treatable form of cancer.

What Is Prostate Cancer?

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland under the bladder and in front of the rectum. It helps make the fluid in semen. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate gland grow out of control.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men after skin cancer. About one in eight men receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. The disease occurs most often in men over 65.

Most types of prostate cancer grow slowly. (There are some fast-growing forms of the disease, but they are rare.) There are many treatment options for prostate cancer, and we can walk you through them all.

overview

Why Choose Luminis Health for Prostate Cancer Treatment?

Simple: We're experts. Prostate cancer and other cancers of the male genital system make up about 10 percent of all cancers we treat at Luminis Health. (While we treat penile and testicular cancer, they are much less common than prostate cancer.)

We provide:

Knowledgeable, compassionate board-certified doctors. Our providers are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate diseases and work as a team to care for you.
Personalized prostate cancer screening. All men are at risk for prostate cancer. We take many factors into consideration – like age, race, family history and your personal preferences – when making screening recommendations for you.
Oncology nurse navigators. Our registered nurses have special training in prostate cancer. They're your go-to resource with any questions about diagnosis, treatment and ongoing prostate health.
Physical therapy. Treatment for prostate cancer sometimes produces side effects like incontinence or erectile dysfunction (ED). Our specially trained physical therapists can work with you to minimize these symptoms.
Genetic counseling. A small percentage of prostate cancers can be related to genes passed through your family. We can test for these genes if you have a strong family history of the disease.
Cancer support services to help your well-being. Cancer is a major life event. If you or a loved one has cancer, we're here to help you every step of the way. We offer many different services and resources designed to fit your needs and give you a better, more comfortable experience.
A prostate cancer support group. We offer a monthly drop-in group facilitated by a board-certified provider. It's open to men with prostate cancer and their caregivers.
Research. We are dedicated to advancing medical knowledge and patient care. In some cases, options are available for you to choose to participate in prostate cancer clinical trials.

diagnosis-treatments

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

In the early stages, you may not have any symptoms from prostate cancer. Later symptoms of prostate cancer may include:

Urgent, frequent or painful urination.
ED.
Pain in your pelvis or ribs.
Blood in your urine or semen.

Most of these symptoms are likely caused by something other than prostate cancer. But you should discuss them with your doctor to determine their cause. You should also ask your doctor about screening for prostate cancer even if you don't have symptoms.

Tests and screening

To find out if you have prostate cancer, your doctors may do a:

Physical exam of the rectum to check for lumps or swelling of the prostate.
Prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test, which may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
Biopsy of your prostate to test for cancer cells.

Treatments

We customize your prostate cancer treatment plan based on several factors. We may recommend:

If your prostate cancer is found at a very early stage, we sometimes hold treatment and instead watch closely for any growth or changes between exams. In some cases, you may never need treatment.

In a procedure called a prostatectomy, we use the da Vinci surgical system – a robotic-assisted method that allows for great precision and small incisions – to remove the prostate gland and a few lymph nodes.

This treatment uses energy to kill cancer cells. In prostate cancer, we can use machines to deliver radiation from outside your body (external beam radiation therapy) or with radioactive seeds placed into your prostate gland (brachytherapy).

Radiation Oncology

Your male hormone testosterone fuels prostate cancer growth. Hormone therapy uses medicines to lower the amount of testosterone in your body. Hormone therapy may be used for a short period or for a longer time in more advanced prostate cancers.

Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells. We may recommend chemotherapy if your prostate cancer has spread to other areas of the body, like the bones, called metastatic prostate cancer.

Chemotherapy

We can use the power of your immune system to fight cancer. We may recommend immunotherapy if you have metastatic prostate cancer.

resources-events

Resources & Events

Care after treatment

The most important thing you can do after completing treatment is to see your doctors for regular physical exams and routine PSA checks. It is also very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle by:

Stopping smoking.
Eating a healthy diet with lots of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and lean meats.
Avoiding excess fat, sugar, salt and processed foods.
Getting regular exercise.
Developing healthy sleep habits.
Practicing mindfulness.
Managing stress and worries.
Asking for help when you need it.

Physical therapy

Prostate cancer treatments like radiation, surgery, and hormone treatments can have side effects ranging from ED and incontinence to pelvic pain.

Physical therapy can offset those side effects and get you back to your active life. Our physical therapists offer:

Targeted exercises to strengthen muscles of the pelvic floor.
Electrical stimulation to re-train your pelvic floor muscles.
Biofeedback to help decrease incontinence.
Strengthening and conditioning to improve your health.
Hands-on techniques like massage and stretching.
Behavior modification to help you manage your diet.

Support for Men With Prostate Cancer

If you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you probably have lots of questions and concerns. We hold a monthly prostate cancer support group, facilitated by a board-certified provider. This drop-in group offers:

A confidential place to talk openly about your feelings and fears, especially about sensitive topics.
Camaraderie and support from others who've been through the same experience.
Encouragement as you transition from being a patient to being a survivor.
Coping strategies for managing stress.
Support for caregivers, who also experience the challenges of a cancer diagnosis.

Smoking cessation support

Physical therapy for pelvic pain

Prostate cancer support group

Smoking cessation support

Physical therapy for pelvic pain

Prostate cancer support group