Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, second only to skin cancer. More than 100,000 men across the U.S. seek treatment for the condition every year.
There are a number of treatments available for prostate cancer and the most common one is a surgery called the radical prostatectomy. This surgery involves removing the entire prostate and possibly other surrounding tissue that may be affected.
While this is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, some patients do not want invasive surgery. This is especially due to the side effects, which can include urinary and sexual problems.
Less-Invasive Prostate Cancer Treatments
Because of those severe side effects, many men opt for one of the other options, which tend to have fewer side effects. Two of the most popular treatments are high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and CyberKnife radio-surgery.
Let’s take a look at these alternative prostate cancer treatments:
HIGH-INTENSITY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND
HIFU uses high-intensity sound waves to heat up and destroy cancer cells in the prostate. This type of treatment is for prostate cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body (metastasized) but rather is localized within the prostate, this is usually when it is caught early.
This procedure is performed with the use of a catheter during and after the treatment. An ultrasound probe is inserted into the rectum, and the probe then delivers sound waves close to the prostate so that the specially generated heat destroys the cancer cells.
HIFU is a four-hour procedure and is performed using anesthesia for the patient’s comfort. There are many potential side effects that come with a HIFU procedure, including erectile dysfunction, orgasm issues, retrograde ejaculation, penis shrinkage and more. HIFU treatments are often not covered by insurance, so patients must pay out-of-pocket.
CyberKnife Radiosurgery
CyberKnife is a highly advanced radiation surgery that uses image-guided robotics to destroy cancer cells in a non-invasive way. CyberKnife delivers high-energy radiation beams directly to the cancerous cells through the use of image-guided technology.
There are many benefits of CyberKnife radio-surgery, including the following:
NONINVASIVE
CyberKnife is a completely non-invasive procedure, no catheters, no incisions, etc. This makes it a very comfortable procedure for patients, and the patient can remain awake during the entire treatment.
PAINLESS
Because it is noninvasive, CyberKnife is also a painless procedure. The treatment does not hurt and there is no downtime. You can resume your normal activities immediately after the treatment. Any side effects are mild and they can include fatigue, nausea and headaches, which generally subside in a few days.
PRECISE
Another benefit of CyberKnife is that the surrounding healthy tissue remains untouched and unaffected by the radiation. CyberKnife technology is so advanced that it automatically adjusts to the patient’s movement and to any slight shifting of internal organs which may cause the prostate to move, such as the bladder.
This allows patients to lie comfortably throughout the procedure, without having to change their breathing or movement patterns.
EFFECTIVE
Studies have found that CyberKnife successfully destroys prostate cancer cells and is an outstanding treatment for the condition.
Conventional radiation therapy involves 40 or more treatments over months. CyberKnife treatments, however, can be delivered in as few as five sessions within 10 days, making it not only effective but also efficient and convenient.
Prostate Cancer Center in Miami
CyberKnife cancer treatment offers many benefits that other prostate cancer treatments simply cannot offer. If you are interested in learning more about alternative treatments to prostate cancer such as CyberKnife, contact us today at the CyberKnife Center of Miami.
Call us at (305) 279-2900 to schedule a consultation, or fill out our online appointment request form and visit us on line www.prostatecancertreatmentmiami.com. Trust your cancer treatment to nothing but the best.