If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer or you have a loved one who has been diagnosed, it’s natural to think: how did this happen?
The answer to that question isn’t easily answered and it’s not straightforward.
As is the case with many cancers, the exact cause of prostate cancer often can’t be pinpointed.
But according to healthline.com, changes in your DNA can lead to the growth of cancer cells in your prostate. these mutated cells, in turn, cause the prostate to enlarge, and then cancerous cells grow and divide, forming a tumor.
Here are a few risk factors that can increase your chances of developing prostate cancer:
- Family history: According to the American Cancer Society, between five and 10 percent of prostate cancer cases may be caused by inherited genetic mutations. Men who have a relative with prostate cancer are twice as likely to get it. The risk tends to be higher if that relative was diagnosed before turning 65, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
- Age: Prostate cancer is less common among younger men, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. There is a one in 10,000 chance of a man developing prostate cancer before 40. That chance jumps to one in 14 for men between 60 and 69.
- Race and Ethnicity: In the united states, African-American men are 75-percent more likely to get prostate cancer compared to white men. They are also 2.2 times more likely to die from it. Scientists don’t know what that’s the case. Asian-American men and Latino men have the lowest incidences of prostate cancer.
- Geography: Believe it or not, where you live may play a role as well. As discussed above, Asian men in the united states have lower chance of developing the disease. But Asian men who live in Asia have an even lower chance. Prostate cancer is more common in North America, Northwest Europe, Australia and the Caribbean.
- Diet: A high-fat, highly processed diet can also play a role. Men who are overweight are at an increased risk of developing a more aggressive form of prostate cancer. A sedentary lifestyle could also play a role.
It’s important to know the risk factors. And as a rule, it’s always important to have a yearly check-up. If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, you do have different treatment options.
Prostate Cancer Treatment
When it comes to prostate cancer, treatment depends on the type and stage of cancer, your age and your overall health.
Doctors use surgery, chemotherapy, other drug therapies and radiation to treat prostate cancer. Sometimes they use a combination of therapies.
Each treatment can be effective, but more than 60,000 men in the United States choose radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer each year, according to The Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Radiation Treatment for Prostate Cancer
The cure rate for prostate cancer using radiation is excellent, and there is a proven safety track record.
And while there are different types of radiation treatments for prostate cancer, the experts at The CyberKnife Center of Miami say that stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT – the type of radiation used by CyberKnife, has some distinct advantages.
“Cyberknife has few side effects. its pinpoint radiation beams hit only the tumor, dissolving it, so we can give a much higher dose with a lot fewer treatments, leaving healthy surrounding tissue unharmed. There’s over 20 years of published studies support,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, board-certified radiation oncologist and medical director of CyberKnife Miami.
According to a 12-year study presented at the American Society for radiation oncology meeting in 2020, SBRT has high rates of long-term cancer control with mild toxicity.
Prostate Cancer Treatment: The CyberKnife Advantage
- CyberKnife has a 97% cure rate for prostate cancer.
- It’s noninvasive. There is no need for anesthesia or cutting. And it doesn’t come with the risks of surgery like infection and long periods of downtime.
- It’s much quicker, has a high safety profile, and it causes less disruption to patients’ lives.
- CyberKnife’s treatments can be done in five radiation therapy sessions over 10 days. That’s compared to 42 over three months with other types of radiation treatments.
- The CyberKnife radiation beams, which target and destroy the tumor, are so precise. That means there is less risk of side effects including impotence and incontinence.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Center
The American Cancer Society says one in nine American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.
At the CyberKnife Center of Miami, we have successfully treated hundreds of prostate cancer patients from across the country and right here in south Florida with excellent results.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, call CyberKnife Miami for a consultation. our goal is to get you back to your life – cancer-free.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us now at 305-279-2900 or go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.