A recent study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 virtual annual meeting suggests that access to medical care for men with prostate cancer declined during the Covid pandemic.
That’s troubling news since the earlier prostate cancer is detected the better.
Now that the United States and Florida are facing an uptick in Covid cases from the Delta variant, the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami want to remind men to get their prostate screenings and continue treatment for prostate cancer.
Now is not the time to delay or stop treatment due to Covid fears. It’s just time to double down on being your own best advocate, caring for your prostate health and being vigilant against Covid.
“With prostate cancer, and cancer in general, the earlier it’s found, the more successful treatment may be,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, board-certified radiation oncologist and medical director of the CyberKnife Center of Miami. “My message to men who are prostate cancer patients is simple: Covid or no Covid, you must prioritize your health and get screened and if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s always best to begin treatment as soon as possible. CyberKnife Miami can help you get treated as effectively, quickly and easily as possible.”
Prostate Cancer
Interestingly, an initiative in Europe points out that Covid disproportionally impacts the same demographics as prostate cancer. That demographic includes older men and especially those from African-American and minority backgrounds.
In the United States, that may also ring true because the demographics are similar.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is more likely to occur in older men and in non-Hispanic African-American men. Six in ten cases are diagnosed in men older than 65.
Except for skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among American men.
In 2021, more than 248,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer according to the American Cancer Society, and 34,000 will die.
Many of those prostate cancer deaths could be prevented if men were diagnosed and treated earlier.
CyberKnife for Prostate Cancer
If you are diagnosed with the disease, treatment depends on the stage of cancer, your age, and your overall health.
More than 60,000 American men choose radiation therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer each year, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
The cure rate for prostate cancer using radiation is well-documented, and there is a proven safety track record.
CyberKnife Miami uses a type of radiation treatment called Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy or SBRT to treat prostate cancer because it has distinct advantages.
- CyberKnife is noninvasive. There is no anesthesia or cutting – and little if any downtime.
- CyberKnife treatments generally take five therapy sessions over 10 days instead of 42 over three months with conventional radiation treatments.
- Because CyberKnife radiation beams are so precise, there is less risk of side effects including impotence and incontinence.
CyberKnife Treatment in South Florida and Near Me
The experts at CyberKnife Miami did not shut their doors when the Covid pandemic began. Instead, we became more vigilant about the safety for our employees and our patients. We follow strict protocols to help keep everyone who walks through our door safe.
We don’t want Covid to affect our patients’ chances to live a cancer free life.
At the CyberKnife Center of Miami, we have treated hundreds of prostate cancer patients from South Florida and across the country with excellent results.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer or if you have concerns about treatment during Covid, contact CyberKnife Miami for a consultation. 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.