While prostate cancer is often thought of as an older man’s disease with most cases diagnosed after the age of 68, it’s time to reframe that discussion.
About 10% of new cases diagnosed are in men under age 55, according to Harvard Medical School.
And the number of younger men being diagnosed with prostate cancer is increasing annually – according to the American Cancer Society. In fact, it has been rising in males between the ages of 15 and 40 at a steady rate of 2% since 1990.
As a cautionary tale, one case study presented in Current Urology describes a 28-year-old man who had symptoms including lower abdominal and back pain, a weak urine stream and urinating too much at night. His symptoms pointed toward a urinary tract infection.
That was ruled out.
Diabetes was also ruled out.
So was prostatitis, an infection of the prostate gland.
Only after a digital rectal exam showed a nodule on the prostate, and a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis was the prostate cancer found and ultimately treated.
The Younger the Man, the More Aggressive the Prostate Cancer
For men diagnosed at a younger age, the prognosis can oftentimes be worse because the cancer is usually more aggressive.
Patients diagnosed with high-grade tumors between the ages of 35 and 44 are at higher risk of losing their lives to prostate cancer compared to men between 65 and 74.
Perhaps that’s because early-onset prostate cancer can have genetic abnormalities that tend not to appear in older men who are diagnosed, according to Harvard Medical School. Other reasons may include obesity, physical inactivity, HPV infection and even environmental factors, according to the American Cancer Society.
In the United States, the average 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer for men between the ages of 40 and 80 is 95%-100%. For men aged 24 to 34, it is 80%. For those between 20 and 29 it is 50%. And for younger men the rate drops to 30%, according to WebMD.
That is why screening and listening to your body is so important. The earlier the cancer is caught, the greater the chance of survival.
Prostate Cancer: Early Detection and Screening
Screening at Age 50
According to the American Cancer Society, men should start talking about screening at the age of 50 if they’re at an average risk of developing prostate cancer.
Screening at Age 45
For men at a high risk, including African American men and men who have a brother or father diagnosed with prostate cancer, screening conversations with your doctor should begin at age 45.
Screening at Age 40
And for men at an even higher risk – like those with more than one first-degree relative who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age, screening should start at the age of 40.
Screening Based on Symptoms
However, any man who is experiencing symptoms like trouble urinating, blood in the urine, weight loss, erectile dysfunction, loss of bladder or bowel control, or weakness or numbness in the legs or feet should see a doctor right away.
And while most of these symptoms may not be related to prostate cancer, you can always ask for screening to be on the safe side. If caught early prostate cancer is highly curable.
CyberKnife Therapy for Prostate Cancer
If you are diagnosed with 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 a combination of treatments is necessary. And while each treatment can be effective, the cure rate for prostate cancer using radiation is well-documented. There is also a proven safety track record.
There are different types of radiation for prostate cancer, but the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami believe stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT – the type of radiation used by CyberKnife, has some distinct advantages.
- Treatments can be done in five radiation therapy sessions over 10 days compared to 42 over three months with other types of radiation treatments.
- It has none of the risks that come with surgery.
- It is noninvasive.
- 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.
Plus, CyberKnife has a 98% cure rate for prostate cancer if caught early.
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.
Call CyberKnife Miami for a consultation. 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.