Prostate Cancer Treatment in Lafayette, LA

The prostate is a gland that is only found in men that is used to assist in reproduction and sperm cell growth and production. It grows during puberty due to the rapid increase in male hormones and can sometimes slightly grow with age, but mostly stays about the size of a walnut.

The most common type of prostate cancer is adenocarcinoma, which is cancer that starts in the gland cells. There are other, more rare types of prostate cancer such as small cell carcinoma, sarcomas and neuroendocrine tumors, but most of the time a prostate cancer patient suffers from adenocarcinoma.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men. Approximately 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the U.S. Luckily, 5-year survival of prostate cancer is up to over 99% and deaths have reduced greatly due to overall awareness and advancements with treatment. At Southern Urology, we provide state-of-the-art radiation oncology services at our central location in Lafayette. Our board-certified physicians use the latest equipment and treatment options, to treat prostate cancer for patients. We will provide you with a comprehensive diagnosis to determine the best treatment option for you. For more information, contact our office at (337) 233-6665 and schedule an appointment today!

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

Many patients don’t experience any symptoms, especially in early stages. More severe prostate cancer patients can experience:

• Blood in the urine
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Urinary Incontinence
• Pain in the spine or hips

Some of these symptoms can also just be symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), so it’s really hard to detect. Therefore, it’s extremely important to get screened by either digital rectal exam (DRE) or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

PSA – This method is usually for men in early stages without symptoms and is the first test done most of the time.

DRE – In this method, the doctor will probe for lumps on the prostate with a lubricated glove. If you do have prostate cancer, this way is good to detect which side the cancer may be on, rather than just knowing whether you have cancer or not.

There are a few other less common ways to diagnose prostate cancer, so check with your urologist to see what might be appropriate for your case.

What are the Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer?

The following risk factors can increase your chances of getting prostate cancer:

Age – Prostate cancer is most common in men after the age of 50, and 60% of cases are men over the age of 65. There’s not a lot of reason to get examined before the age of 40-50.

Race – Prostate cancer is more prominent in African Americans.

Family History – Some evidence suggests that prostate cancer may be a genetic factor and inherited. Having a direct relative with prostate cancer increases your risk.

Diet – It’s not a definitive factor, but some studies link men who eat a lot of red meat and high-dairy products and eat less fruits and vegetables have more of a risk to develop prostate cancer.

What is the Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

Once you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, it is important to work closely with the board-certified urologists at Southern Urology to go over your case and discuss the best treatment option for you. Some of those include:

• Active surveillance to monitor cancer growth or lack thereof
• Surgery to remove the cancerous cells
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Cryotherapy for early stages
• Vaccine treatment
• Bone-directed for cases where the cancer has spread to the bones