Some may say that’s the $1,000,000 question when it comes to prostate and other cancers.
And the reality is scientists are working to find links, connectivity and common genetics between prostate cancer and other cancers.
The hope is that if they find connections that can lead to early detection and maybe better treatments.
Prostate Cancer and Second Cancers
Here’s what we do know, according to the American Cancer Society:
Prostate cancer survivors may always have recurrence in the backs of their minds, but some survivors can also develop what’s called a second cancer.
Having prostate cancer may put a man at a higher risk for developing small intestine cancer, soft tissue cancer, bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, thymus cancer and melanoma.
Prostate Cancer and Skin Cancer
And there might be a link between skin cancer and prostate cancer.
Stanford Medicine researchers also found in a preliminary study from 2018 that those who developed basal cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancer, frequently may be at risk for developing other cancers including prostate, blood, breast and colon cancers.
“We discovered that people who develop six or more basal cell carcinomas during a 10-year period are about three times more likely than the general population to develop other, unrelated cancers,” said Kavita Sarin, MD, PhD, assistant professor of dermatology with Stanford Medicine. “We’re hopeful that this finding could be a way to identify people at an increased risk for a life-threatening malignancy before those cancers develop.”
Prostate Cancer and Bone Cancer
We also know that prostate cancer is one of the types of cancer that’s most likely to spread to the bones, according to healthline.com.
With prostate cancer, the most likely places for bone cancer to metastasize are the hips, the spine and the ribs.
That’s why early detection and treatment are key. But even if the cancer has spread, there are treatment options.
Getting the Experts to Help with Treatment Plans
Doctors can use surgery, chemotherapy, other drug therapies and radiation to treat prostate cancer, or they can use a combination of these therapies.
Each treatment can be effective, but more than 60,000 men in the United States choose radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer each year, according to The Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Prostate Cancer Treatment with CyberKnife Miami
The experts at the Cyberknife Center of Miami can help you decide if radiation is right for you.
CyberKnife is cutting-edge radiation technology also known as stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT. It can kill prostate tumors with precise, pinpointed accuracy, and it leaves the surrounding healthy tissue unharmed.
The cure rate for prostate cancer using SBRT is excellent, and there is a proven safety track record.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Near Me
“Usually prostate cancer is a slow-growing disease. Most of the time if it is caught early and it is localized then it is very curable,” said Dr. Mark Pomper, board-certified radiation oncologist and medical director of cyberknife on CyberKnife’s youtube channel. “You have to realize that if you are going to a surgeon, they have their own inherent bias. They want to cut it out, but radiation can be equally effective without having all the morbidity of the surgery.”
Dr. Pomper says lately he is seeing more patients with aggressive disease, which may or may not be related to lack of preventative care during the pandemic.
“The fact is if you have patients who have high-risk or more advanced prostate cancer, CyberKnife can be the main staple treatment.”
At the CyberKnife Center of Miami our goal is to help our prostate cancer patients live longer and most importantly to maintain quality of life while undergoing treatment and beyond.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, our experts may be able to help.
Call the CyberKnife Center of Miami for an appointment at 305-279-2900 and go to our prostate cancer website now for more information.