Prostate cancer care in the Brazos Valley

After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. The prostate gland is found only in men and is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Cancer of the prostate begins when cells in this gland begin to grow uncontrollably. With proper care, it’s possible to treat this condition successfully.

What are the types of prostate cancer?

The vast majority of these cancers are adenocarcinomas, which means they develop from gland cells.

Other types are rare. These include:

• Sarcomas
• Neuroendocrine tumors
• Small cell carcinomas
• Transitional cell carcinomas

What are the risk factors for prostate cancer?

While the exact cause of this condition is unknown, there are several risk factors that can increase your chances of developing this disease. These include:

• Age
• Family history
• African American heritage
• Obesity
• Alcohol consumption

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

In most cases, this condition doesn't cause any symptoms. However, those who did experience symptoms reported:

• Urgent need to urinate
• Blood in urine or semen
• Difficulty stopping or starting the flow of urination
• Painful ejaculation
• Pain or pressure in the rectum

These symptoms could indicate a number of things that are not prostate cancer. If you experience any of the above symptoms, talk to your primary care physician.

How do you screen for prostate cancer?

Early detection could save your life. St. Joseph Health seeks to find prostate cancers early when they are most treatable. In addition to traditional methods for identifying abnormalities in the prostate, the St. Joseph Health urology team now also uses the UroNav Fusion Biopsy System, an MR/ultrasound-guided biopsy that’s considered the new standard in prostate care.

Patients who may benefit from MR/ultrasound-guided biopsy include:

• Patients receiving their first prostate screening
• Patients who had a previous negative biopsy
• Patients needing additional screening or ongoing monitoring

Fusing the benefits of pre-biopsy MRI images with ultrasound-guided biopsy to create a real-time visualization for our urologists, this method supports the early diagnosis of prostate cancer and helps identify sections in the gland that may need closer evaluation. Additionally, it can reach areas that a standard biopsy may miss, and it has the potential to reduce the need for additional biopsies.

To schedule an appointment, please call (979) 774-3041.

What is the treatment for prostate cancer?

Because many prostate tumors can be slow-growing, your treatment team may recommend observation or active surveillance for cancers that are not especially aggressive. Other treatment options include:

• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Surgery (prostatectomy)