The American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association recommend an annual PSA (prostate specific antigen) test as well as a digital rectal examination for men age 50 and older. If you are approaching this age, or if you are in a specifically high risk category - African-American or have had prostate cancer before - there are some facts you need to consider.

According to Francis Ogbolu, D.O., OLBH urologist, the good news is that the majority of cancers detected with a PSA test have not spread outside of the prostate and, as a result, are more likely to be treatable. "Prostate cancer is often without symptoms until the late stages of the disease," he said. "That is why prevention and early detection methods, such as having an annual PSA screening test, are of great importance."

"As with any screening test, there is always a chance of a false positive," Dr. Ogbolu said. "In addition to cancer, a high PSA reading may indicate an infection, benign prostate enlargement or other less serious problems. The usual procedure after a high PSA result is to order a biopsy. About two-thirds of these men will not have prostate cancer."
Until recently, treatment methods for prostate cancer included surgery or external radiation therapy. "Today's options for prostate cancer treatment are vast," Dr. Ogbolu explained.

In addition to traditional surgical methods, Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital offers a variety of effective treatment alternatives for people diagnosed with prostate cancer. The proper treatment options for your specific body should be determined by you and your physician. Below is information about some of the available prostate cancer treatment choices at OLBH.

Cryosurgery: OLBH is the only hospital in the Tri-State region offering this innovative treatment for prostate cancer. Also referred to as cryoablation or cryotherapy, the effective treatment involves freezing the prostate with sub-zero temperatures to ensure that all visible cancer cells are destroyed. Cryosurgery offers patients the benefits of a quicker recovery period. The technique also reduces the severity of potential side effects such as incontinence or loss of bladder control.

Prostate Seeding: When performing this procedure, a form of internal radiation therapy, OLBH physician specialists place radioactive seeds directly into the prostate gland with the intent of destroying the cancer. Patients go home from the hospital the day of the implantation, but the radiation continues to act on tumors for several months. As the seeds radiate, cancerous cells are destroyed, with minimal effect on surrounding tissues.
External Beam Radiation: External beam radiation is focused on the prostate gland from a source outside your body. It is much like getting a diagnostic X-ray, but for a longer time. Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), an advanced form of external beam radiation available at the Ashland - Bellefonte Cancer Center, aims beams from several directions. The strength of the beams then can be adjusted to minimize the dose of radiation reaching the most sensitive normal tissues while delivering a uniformly high dose to the cancer.

Hormone Therapy: The goal of hormone therapy is to lower levels of the male hormones in the body. The male hormone, testosterone, is produced mainly in the testicles and can allow prostate cancer cells to grow. Lowering testosterone levels can make prostate cancers shrink or grow more slowly. Some doctors now are studying hormone therapy use before surgery or radiation in an attempt to shrink the cancer and make the other treatment more effective.

Men should consult their physician about prostate cancer screening exams and the proper treatment methods for their body and individual condition. For more information, please call the CareLine at (606) 833-CARE (2273).