Cancer services

prostateProstate cancer program

Among men in the U.S., prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer (excluding skin cancers). Approximately 221,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year. 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer.

Early detection offers the best chance for a cure. Our team of experts works closely with primary care physicians, offering advanced treatment options.

Diagnostics 

Our physicians use the latest, most accurate diagnostic tools available to assess and treat cancer of the prostate:

Physical examination/PSA. Beginning at age 50, the American Cancer Society recommends annual screening for early prostate cancer detection. Screening includes a digital rectal examination and prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. Men at high risk, including African Americans and those with a family history of the disease, should begin screenings at age 45. In situations such as a strong family history, a man may begin screening at age 40.

Ultrasound Guided Prostate Biopsy. A core needle biopsy is the primary method for diagnosing prostate cancer. Physicians use transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) to guide and insert a narrow needle through the rectal wall and into several areas of the prostate, from which tissue samples are removed. These samples are then examined in a laboratory.

Staging

Prostate cancer can spread to other parts of the body via the lymphatic system. Once cancer of the prostate is confirmed, it is vitally important for our physicians to perform detailed staging to determine if the cancer has spread. Treatment decisions hinge on the findings of thorough staging.

Staging procedures used at Aurora BayCare Medical Center include:

Radionuclide bone scan. This study is used to determine if prostate cancer has spread to the bones. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into the blood stream. The radioactive material settles into diseased bone tissue. A special camera is used to detect the concentrations of radioactive material, essentially creating a map of the areas where cancer may be present. The amount of radiation received is minimal. It causes no harmful side effects for the patient.

Spiral computed tomography. Spiral computed tomography provides all the diagnostic advantages of conventional CT (ability to obtain cross-sectional images of body tissues and organs) with greater speed and more precise detail within the images. Often used with contrast agents, spiral CT yields clinically useful information on prostate cancer and possible metastases throughout the body. CT is also used to show bone, soft tissue and blood vessels in the same image for accurate tumor landmarking.

Lymph node biopsy. Physicians may take a sample of lymph node tissue to determine if cancer has spread further into the pelvic area. These biopsies are performed several ways:

  • Surgically, where the physician removes nodal tissue via an incision into the abdomen
  • Though needle aspiration, where a fine needle is CT-guided to the lymph node in question and a small amount of tissue is taken
  • Laparoscopically, where a small video camera is inserted through an abdominal incision and guided to the lymph nodes around the prostate, which the physician removes and sends to a lab for analysis