Like many cancers, prostate cancer can also spread or metastasize to other parts of the body.
How Does the Spread of Prostate Cancer Happen?
Prostate cancer spreads when the cancer cells break free from the prostate and travel through the blood stream or lymphatic system. While most of the time these cells die, sometimes they don’t. That’s when the cancer spreads to other organs.
Remember though, prostate cancer tends to grow very slowly. That’s why regular screenings are key and lifesavers.
Symptoms and Signs of Prostate Cancer
If you have any of the following symptoms that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, go see your doctor right away:
- Difficulty urinating
- Weak or interrupted flow
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Difficulty emptying the bladder completely
- Burning or pain during urination
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Pain in the back, hips or pelvis that persists
- Painful ejaculation
Keep in mind, these symptoms can be caused by other issues rather than prostate cancer. But why risk it? Go get it checked.
Where Prostate Cancer Spreads
According to an article in Medical News Today, prostate cancer can spread to nearby organs in the pelvis. But it can also spread beyond that area.
The most common area of metastasis are the bones, lymph nodes, brain, liver and lungs. When it spreads, it becomes more difficult to treat. Again, that’s why early diagnosis is key.
Treatment for prostate cancer can vary depending on the age and overall health of the patient and the stage of the cancer. Treatment can include surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation. Sometimes doctors use a combination of treatment modalities.
CyberKnife Treatment for Prostate Cancer
If your doctor recommends radiation for prostate cancer, the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami can help. And even if radiation is not recommended, our experts can offer a second opinion.
While there are many types of radiation our experts believe that stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT – the type of radiation used by CyberKnife has some distinct advantages.
“CyberKnife has few side effects. The 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 to support it,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, board-certified radiation oncologist and medical director at CyberKnife Miami.
A 12-year study presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting in 2020, reported that SBRT has high rates of long-term cancer control with mild toxicity.
CyberKnife for Prostate Cancer
Here are the Facts About CyberKnife Treatment for Prostate Cancer:
- CyberKnife has a 97% cure rate for prostate cancer.
- It’s quicker and has a high safety profile. Plus, it causes less disruption to patients’ lives.
- It’s noninvasive. That means no need for anesthesia or cutting. And it doesn’t come with the risks of surgery like infection and long periods of downtime.
- CyberKnife’s treatments can be done in five radiation therapy sessions over 10 days. That’s compared to 42 to 45 over three months with other types of radiation treatments.
- The CyberKnife radiation beams, which target and destroy the tumor, are so precise which means there is less risk of side effects including impotence and incontinence.
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 with minimal to no downtime.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us at 305-279-2900 or go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.