Our da Vinci robotics system allows our surgeons to perform precise procedures for prostate treatment. We can often make your treatment more successful with a shorter recovery time. You may also be less likely to experience urinary incontinence or erectile dysfunction following prostate surgery.

Our urologists have years of advanced training in oncology (cancer treatment) and robotics-aided surgery. Our specialized expertise means that you receive the highest quality of care.

In addition to our expert care, we support you with complementary services from Blessing Cancer Center's wellness program, including:

• Counselors to help you and your family manage anxiety, stress or other emotional or psychological pressures.

• Financial counseling

• Oncology dietitians to design a healthy eating plan to help you stay strong during treatment

• Symptom management

• Nurses to help you schedule your appointments, manage paperwork and get answers to your questions

• Wellness coaching

Advanced prostate cancer shares many symptoms with noncancerous prostate or other urinary conditions. If you have any of these symptoms, see one of our qualified urologists for an evaluation:

• Frequent urination

• Weak urine stream

• Pain or blood during urination

To establish a diagnosis, our specialists may recommend one or more of the following tests:

• Digital rectal examination: Doctors can assess the size of your prostate gland and check for any abnormal bumps or other changes. The doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to perform this exam.

• Colonoscopy: During a colonoscopy, your doctor may check the prostate gland for abnormal bumps or changes in size. This test uses a colonoscope (thin, flexible, lighted tube) to examine the lower intestine.

• PSA blood test: We perform a simple blood test to screen for high levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein that your prostate gland produces. Elevated levels of PSA do not necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer. You may need further testing so that your doctor can confirm or rule out any prostate conditions.

• Biopsy: If we suspect that you may have prostate cancer, we will take a biopsy of your prostate gland. We use a needle to remove a tiny sample of prostate tissue and examine it under the microscope for abnormal cells.

• Imaging: If your biopsy indicates prostate cancer, we may use an ultrasound (uses sound waves to produce an image) or an MRI scan (uses radio waves to produce an image) to take a closer look at your prostate. These imaging tests can help your doctor confirm a diagnosis and determine which treatment options may be right for you.

Most prostate cancers grow slowly and may not require immediate treatment. Your doctor monitors you regularly to check for any changes. You may need treatment if the tumor begins to change rapidly or cause symptoms.

Our specially trained urologists perform prostate surgery using our da Vinci robotics-aided surgical system. This image-guided system allows your surgeon to perform precise movements to remove cancerous tissues while preserving nerve function and blood vessels. This approach can mean less likelihood of developing urinary incontinence or erectile dysfunction after surgery and a shorter recovery time.

Medical oncologists, doctors who treat cancers with powerful drugs, may prescribe chemotherapy by itself or in combination with surgery and/or radiation treatment. We use the latest medications to target specific tumors and help prevent the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Some medications can boost your immune system to fight cancerous cells. Learn more about medical oncology and immunotherapy.

We can often use stereotactic radiosurgery, a type of external beam radiation, to treat prostate tumors. With high precision, stereotactic radiosurgery may reduce the need for you to have surgery. Other radiation treatments can shrink tumors in preparation for surgery or chemotherapy. Read more about our radiation oncology.

We place tiny amounts of radioactive material, the size of rice grains, in or near the prostate tumor. Brachytherapy provides precision radiation treatment from within the body. Learn more about brachytherapy.

The bkFusion integrated solution from BK Medical helps us target lesions and potentially reduce the risk of missing high-grade or under-staging tumors for active surveillance. It has been clinically proven that bkFusion has an 84% positive detection rate for significant prostate cancer. bkFusion works by combining real-time ultrasound images with data from an MRI taken before a biopsy to give us 3D images. These images allow us to better visualize and guide prostate biopsies compared to the traditional prostate biopsy approach.

bkFusion offers an easy and familiar workflow to make prostate biopsy procedures as efficient as possible using the right approach for you.

MRI-Targeted Biopsies Improve Patient Care

• Detect more significant cancer that can be treated
  • 46% improvement in detection of csPca compared to standard biopsy, when performing MRI-targeted biopsies.
• Avoid unnecessary procedures
  • 28% of men who receive an MRI before biopsy return results that are not suggestive of prostate cancer
• Take fewer samples, reduce complications
  • 3x fewer biopsy cores used in targeted biopsy (4vs 12). Fewer reported complications are attributed to reduced sampling.