While cancer death rates are overall lower, according to an American Cancer Society report, we’re seeing an increase in the incidences of the most common screenable cancers – including prostate cancer.
In fact, prostate cancer tops the list for the most common type of cancer diagnosed in American men, making up 29% of all new cancer cases or 299,010 cases. Prostate cancer also accounts for 11% of cancer deaths or 35,250 deaths.
And according to the Lancet, worldwide prostate cancer cases are projected to double from 1.4 million in 2020 to 2.9 million in 2040.
“Aging populations and increasing life expectancy will lead to higher numbers of older men in coming years. As the main risk factors for prostate cancer – such as being aged 50 or older and having a family history of the disease – are unavoidable,” according to the article.
One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. It is more common in older men. Six in ten cases are diagnosed in men older than 65, and prostate cancer is rare among men under 40.
Risk can vary based on age, race, geographical location, family history, and other factors like weight.
According to a study from Sweden, men who gain weight in their young adult years may be more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer years later.
Yet early screening and diagnosis are helping men survive because catching prostate cancer early increases survival.
“Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. In fact, more than 3.3 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today,” according to the American Cancer Society.
Early Detection of Prostate Cancer
Sometimes there may be no symptoms of prostate cancer. Other times symptoms can include problems with urination or bowel function, sexual dysfunction, blood in the urine or semen, and even pain in your back or numbness in your legs.
While these symptoms may be the result of another medical condition, it is important to see your doctor should you notice any changes. Regular screenings – including Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests or rectal exams — and knowing your risk and your family history are also important.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, treatment depends on the type and stage of cancer, your age, and your overall health
More than 60,000 American men choose radiation therapy to treat 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 for Prostate Cancer
CyberKnife – a cutting-edge radiation technology has some distinct advantages over other types of radiation because it can destroy prostate tumors while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue alone, according to the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami.
With CyberKnife there are minimal side effects, which may include tiredness and urinary and rectal irritation. Medication can help minimize these, and they usually go away in a few weeks.
There is also a lower risk of toxicity than with traditional radiation, a reduced risk of impotence, and a lower chance of urinary incontinence. Sexual function also remains the same for most patients after treatment.
The Latest News About CyberKnife: Data Support Use of CyberKnife to Also Treat High-Risk and Recurrent Prostate Cancer:
New data presented at the 2024 Radiosurgery Society Meeting support the use of the CyberKnife System in the treatment of high-risk and recurrent prostate cancer.
The studies expand on years of published clinical follow-up with a large number of prostate cancer patients with various stages of the disease, as well as with those who were previously treated with radiotherapy – supporting the system’s versatility and value to medical care teams.
“An extensive number of peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts have been published reporting on CyberKnife prostate SBRT efficacy and tolerability. This most recent RSS data demonstrates the ongoing interest in advancing patient care with the system, based on its ability to deliver the precision and accuracy necessary to not just help men to survive prostate cancer but also to have a meaningful quality of life post treatment,” said Seth Blacksburg, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer at Accuray, the manufacturer of CyberKnife.
The CyberKnife System enables treatment of prostate cancer using a form of radiation therapy called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) – very precise, high doses of radiation are delivered over a shorter duration than traditional treatments. The system’s precision enables clinicians to confidently treat the prostate gland, which is situated near the sensitive bladder and rectum, with SBRT.
The CyberKnife platform offers an effective treatment option for prostate tumors in
4-to-5 sessions, compared to conventional radiation therapy which usually requires approximately 30-to-40 sessions over 8-to-10 weeks.
The Data presented at the RSS meeting showed its ability to:
Effectively treat high-risk diseases while preserving the quality of life.
Study authors concluded, “At the 3-year follow-up mark, favorable biochemical control was achieved, and patients had largely recovered to near baseline urinary and bowel function. These findings underscore the potential of SBRT as a convenient treatment option for high-risk prostate cancer, offering promising outcomes and preserving patient quality of life.”
It also provides a viable option with “a low incidence of short-term genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities” for re-irradiation of locally recurrent prostate cancer.
The prostate gland can move unpredictably throughout treatment. In fact, the prostate has been documented in several studies to move as much as 10 mm in as little as 30 seconds due to normal patient bodily functions – such as filling of the bladder, gas in the bowel, or even slight patient movement during the procedure making the ability to track, detect and correct for motion critically important.
The CyberKnife System, using advanced imaging and real-time artificial intelligence (AI)-driven motion tracking and synchronization treatment delivery, with the Accuray proprietary Synchrony technology, can track the tumor and continually verify its position, automatically correcting and adapting the radiation beam position for even the slightest movement. For example, if the prostate moves during treatment the CyberKnife System detects this movement and synchronizes the treatment delivery beam to the tumor’s new position in real-time.
Clinical experience shows us most patients tolerate treatment with CyberKnife very well, with success rates of more than 98% for more than a decade.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Near Me: CyberKnife Miami
At CyberKnife Miami, our team of radiation oncologists, surgeons, medical physicists, and radiation therapists provide a level of skill and precision that matches our years of experience.
They are among some of the most experienced radio-surgery specialists in the United States, which is why they are often asked to train other centers around the world on how to use the CyberKnife most effectively with the most positive outcomes.
At the CyberKnife Center of Miami, we have successfully treated hundreds of prostate cancer patients with excellent results. And worldwide, hundreds of thousands more have been treated using the CyberKnife technology with great success.
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.