Prostate Cancer

For men, prostate cancer can often be a fatal diagnosis. In fact, it is the second-leading cause of death of men. Getting screened regularly is key. Discussing your family history with your physician, examining the other risk factors in relation to your own situation and educating yourself about this vital topic can help you survive. And, if you need treatment, we offer many state-of-the-art treatment options.

Oftentimes in the early stages of prostate cancer, there are no symptoms. That’s why regular screenings are important. When prostate cancer is diagnosed early, there are many more treatment options available, and the prognosis is greatly improved. The 5-year relative survival rate for prostate cancer is nearly 100% when diagnosed early.

Many of the symptoms that may appear are like those experienced with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), so it is crucial to see your AUCNY urologist if any of the symptoms occur.

Possible Symptoms of Prostate Cancer:

Blood in the urine
Burning sensation while urinating
Frequent urination
Persistent lower back, hips, or upper thighs pain
Problems obtaining an erection
Urinary problems including inability to urinate, difficulty starting or stopping urine flow, or a weak urine flow

Our team of urologists, pathologists and radiation oncologists are a team who work together to diagnose and treat the disease.

Treatment Options

If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer and you need treatment, your AUCNY urologist will provide treatment options based upon several factors including how quickly your cancer is growing, if the disease has spread, and your overall health.

We offer the latest in treatment modalities including:

Active surveillance– when early-stage prostate cancer is found, AUCNY doctors can determine if it is safe to put off treatment while closely monitoring the cancer for any changes. Using today’s sophisticated testing tools, we can get information about how much cancer exists and the level of aggressiveness needed. When prostate cancer is a slow growing, less aggressive cancer, active surveillance is an option to be considered.
Hormone therapy– using treatments that block testosterone, this type of therapy kills the prostate cancer cells.
Robotic Surgery– if the cancer has not spread outside of the prostate gland, a partial or radical prostatectomy surgical option is available to fight prostate cancer. These procedures remove either a part of or the entire prostate gland and surrounding tissue with robotic surgery, depending on the spread of the disease. Our AUCNY surgeons laparoscopically remove the cancer with the use of robotic arms operated using a robotic system; surgery is done through small incisions in the abdomen.
Radiotherapy– our colleagues at Advanced Radiation Centers of New York (ARC) team with our AUCNY doctors to provide compassionate, state-of-the-art treatment options to fight prostate cancer with eight radiation facilities conveniently located throughout five counties. To learn more about radiation treatments from our trusted partners, visit https://www.advancedradiationcenters.com/cancer/prostate-cancer/.

ARC offers several treatment modalities including:

External Beam Radiation including highly targeted Image-Guided and Volumetric Modulated Radiation Therapy (IG-VMAT or “RapidArc”) which delivers radiation with the highest degree of accuracy, significantly reducing treatment side effects, compared to other forms of radiation.
Prostate Brachytherapy (Radioactive Transperineal Prostate Seed Implant) – during a one-hour procedure, radioactive “seeds” are implanted into the prostate to deliver photon radiation directly to the prostate itself.
Hormone Therapy– is sometimes given to enhance the effect or benefit of radiation. Hormone therapy, also known as Androgen Blockade Therapy, serves to block the effect of naturally occurring male hormones “androgens” from activating the prostate cancer (and normal prostate) cells. The cells are de-activated and weakened, allowing the radiation to have a more significant impact against the cancer.
Radionuclide Therapy– special forms of radioactive isotopes can be delivered intravenously to travel directly to sites of prostate cancer that may be involving certain tissues such as the bones. This directed therapy limits side-effects and provides an improved outcome for many men with metastatic prostate cancer.
Cryotherapy– is a treatment that freezes the prostate tissue to kill the cancer cells. The procedure is done by inserting thin metal probes filled with Argon gas into the prostate. This gas freezes the prostate gland, with a double freeze technique destroying the prostate cancer viable tissue.

We Are Here to Help. You Are Not Alone.

Our team of Nurse Navigators will guide you through this journey.

Hearing a prostate cancer diagnosis is frightening. It’s difficult to know how to deal with this diagnosis and what steps to take to ensure the optimal outcome. Our team of Nurse Navigators will provide support every step of your journey.

Our nurse navigators are registered nurses who specialize in guiding newly diagnosed patients and their caregivers through the cancer journey, from diagnosis through survivorship. It is often difficult for patients to understand their specific care options at a time when they are feeling overwhelmed by the news of the cancer diagnosis. Your nurse navigator will be there to help ensure that you and your family are empowered with information to make a treatment decision.

Our nurse navigators work closely with each patient’s urologist and the care team. The nurse navigator is educated in understanding the details of cancer treatment and will support, guide, and answer questions for you through all stages of treatment and beyond. As advocates for patients and their families during prostate cancer treatment, nurse navigators enhance the quality of care you receive.

The navigator will contact you following your cancer diagnosis discussion with your urologist to answer any questions you have about treatment and will stay in touch with you by phone as needed.

The navigator will help you plan your next steps including setting up consultations with physicians and scheduling additional tests and procedures if needed.

Our goal is to make this journey as seamless as possible. This can be a challenging time for you and your family. Our team of doctors, nurses, support staff, and nurse navigators are here to guide you and be a resource.