Prostate Cancer Awareness: Removing the Stigma

With the staggering statistics that one in eight men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime and in the United States, African American men are 75-percent more likely to get prostate cancer when compared to white men — It’s high time we removed any stigma associated with prostate cancer.

But that’s easier said than done.

Why Removing The Prostate Cancer Stigma Is Difficult  

Prostate cancer – and its side effects and treatments – strike at the heart of masculinity, and it is a deeply private disease since it involves sexual and urinary health.  

A diagnosis can leave a man feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

Prostate Cancer Awareness

We need to all work together to tear down the stigma.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation says communication is the key: “We can do this by telling our stories – as publicly as a blog post or keynote address, or as privately as talking to a friend – and by supporting patients and families.”

Bottomline, no man should sit in silence and suffer.

“We see prostate cancer patients walk in for consultations without making eye contact. They are scared. They feel alone. They don’t want treatment to lead to a life of sexual disfunction and urinary incontinence,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, Medical Director of the CyberKnife Center of Miami and board-certified radiation oncologist. “When we tell them that our treatment is unlikely to cause any of those side effects, they finally look up and they sigh. It’s like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. Seeing that reaction re-enforces why we do what we do. We help men continue to live the lives they had before prostate cancer. That’s our mission.”

“It’s been nine years since my CyberKnife treatment for prostate cancer. I’m cancer-free and have no complaints. I wish more men knew about CyberKnife. Don’t just do what your doctor tells you, do your homework. My doctors never told me about CyberKnife, and when I asked, they said it wasn’t for me. But it was an excellent option so me, so learn all your treatment options and then make a decision on what’s best for you,” says Joe, one of many CyberKnife Miami patients successfully treated at our cancer center.

 CyberKnife Treatment for Prostate Cancer

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, chemotherapy, and radiation. Sometimes doctors use a combination of treatment modalities.

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 and help chose the best treatment option for your particular needs.

There are several types of radiation for prostate cancer, but our experts believe that Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy or SBRT – the type of radiation used by CyberKnife, has some distinct advantages.

In fact, a 12-year study presented at the 2020 American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting, revealed that SBRT has high rates of long-term cancer control with mild, if any toxicity.

• 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 over three months with conventional radiation treatments.
• The CyberKnife radiation beams, which target and destroy the tumor, are very precise. That means there is less risk of side effects including impotence and incontinence.

Prostate Cancer Treatment Miami

“There’s a general thought among surgeons that surgery is better for men under age 60 because radiation’s long-term effects may cause problems years later, like impotence and incontinence, but that’s not what research is proving. Surgery has long term effects too. CyberKnife has few side effects. Its pinpoint radiation beams hit only the tumor 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 supporting the effectiveness and safety of CyberKnife for prostate cancer,” says Dr. Pomper on CyberKnife Miami’s website.

“After watching my two brothers suffer tough side effects following Prostate Cancer surgery, I didn’t want to risk it and instead chose a non-invasive treatment, CyberKnife Radiation Therapy. I had 5 treatments over 10 days at the Cyberknife Center of Miami. I had no bad side effects and went right back to work after each session. It was so simple and easy. Easier than I even thought it was possible,” says Antoino, one of CyberKnife Miami patients who is helping remove the stigma of prostate cancer by talking about it. 

If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call CyberKnife Miami at 305-279-2900 or go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.