What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is cancer in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped gland in men that produces semen. Prostate cancer is among the most common kinds and can cause severe problems when left untreated. Discovering the cancer early and being treated right away is the best way to deal with it.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
In its early stages, prostate cancer usually doesn’t show any symptoms. But as the disease gets worse, you can experience:
- Weak urine stream
- Problems urinating
- Blood in your semen
- Blood in your urine
- Unintentional weight loss
- Bone pain
- Erectile dysfunction
- Urinary incontinence
When left untreated, prostate cancer often spreads to other parts of your body and becomes life-threatening.
What are the risk factors for prostate cancer?
Risk factors for developing prostate cancer include:
- Being over 50
- Being African American
- Being obese
- Having a family history of prostate cancer
Ways to lower your chance of developing prostate cancer include eating nutritious foods, getting regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight.
How does my doctor diagnose prostate cancer?
To determine if you have prostate cancer or how severe it is, Dr. Buschemeyer discusses your symptoms and medical history. He completes a physical exam, including a digital rectal exam.
He may order blood tests, an ultrasound, a bone scan, CT scan, MRI, or other imaging procedures. He’ll likely do a prostate biopsy, taking a small tissue sample for lab analysis.
What are common prostate cancer treatments?
The treatment that Dr. Buschemeyer suggests will depend on how severe your condition is. Treatments include:
Watchful waiting
Sometimes Dr. Buschemeyer simply watches prostate cancer in its beginning stages and waits to see if the disease gets worse. The most common prostate cancers are slow-growing and often pose no immediate threat to your health.
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy blocks testosterone production to destroy cancer cells.
Freezing
Cryoablation, the freezing of prostate tissue, can kill cancer cells and surrounding tissues.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound energy heats prostate tissue to destroy cancer.
Targeted drug treatments
Taking targeted drugs can kill prostate cancer cells.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy uses your body’s immune system to fight prostate cancer.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses medications to kill rapidly growing prostate cancer cells. Dr. Buschemeyer and his team administer chemotherapy either through a vein in your arm or in pill form.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses focused, high-powered energy to destroy cancer cells.
Surgery
During surgery, Dr. Buschemeyer removes your prostate gland and surrounding tissues, plus lymph nodes in some cases, to prevent the prostate cancer from spreading.
If you’re at risk of developing prostate cancer or experience symptoms of the disease, call the offices of W. Cooper Buschemeyer III, MD, or book an appointment online today.
