Prostate Cancer | Blessing Health System

EXPERIENCE THE BLESSING DIFFERENCE: PROSTATE CANCER

If you or a loved one has prostate cancer, you want high-quality treatment from an experienced care team. At Blessing, our urologists have training in cancer care. We provide advanced treatment options for men throughout our region who have prostate cancer. As a comprehensive cancer center, Blessing provides high-quality care from the region’s prostate cancer specialists. People come to our cancer center for:

Robotics surgical system: 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.
Fellowship-trained urologists: 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.
Comprehensive Cancer 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

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER

Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms. That’s why we recommend that men over age 50 have an annual screening for prostate cancer. Important information about prostate cancer includes:

Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer

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

Diagnosing prostate cancer

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.

TREATING PROSTATE CANCER AT BLESSING

We create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. You may need one or a combination of treatments to treat cancer in different ways. This multipronged approach works well for cancers that have spread or are difficult to remove completely with surgery or radiation therapy alone.

Depending on your individual case, your treatment plan may include:

Active surveillance: 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.
Surgery: 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.
Medication therapies: 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.
Radiation therapy: 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.
Brachytherapy: 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.

We combine our skills and expertise with advanced technology to provide exceptional treatment for people with prostate cancer. Read more about our cancer treatments at our comprehensive cancer center.