Prostate cancer in Florida—and around the country—is the most common cancer in men, after skin cancer. A man has a 1 in 6 chance of getting prostate cancer in his lifetime. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer.
Prostate Cancer Treatment in Tampa Bay
While prostate cancer can be a serious disease, most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. In fact, more than 3.1 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.
Treatment for Prostate Cancer in Tampa, FL
Prostate cancer is generally a slow-moving type of cancer. If your doctor diagnoses you as having prostate cancer but thinks your prostate cancer is unlikely to grow quickly, they may not recommend immediate treatment. They may recommend active surveillance, which involves close monitoring by performing PSA tests and biopsies regularly. Or they may recommend watchful waiting, in which no tests are done but symptoms are treated as they develop. This is usually recommended when the patient’s life expectancy is less than 10 years, during which the cancer will not likely become life-threatening.
When prostate cancer has progressed and is causing symptoms, one or more of the following treatment protocols may be performed:
- Surgery to remove all or part of the prostate
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Cryotherapy to freeze and kill the cancer cells
- Ultrasound therapy
- Hormone therapy
There are different forms of radiation therapy used to treat prostate cancer that include external or internal delivery of radiation beams to kill the cancer cells. At Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology, we provide the latest in prostate cancer treatment, including prostate surgery and robotic prostate surgery, as well as Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, Image-Guided Radiation Therapy and Brachytherapy, or Prostate Seed Implants. We are also among the first in Florida to offer CyberKnife Radiosurgery treatment for prostate cancer, available at our Brandon facility. We will walk with you through each step of your cancer treatment journey and design a treatment plan that suits your needs, take the time to answer your questions, help you feel comfortable, and let you know what to expect.
Contact Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology today for more information about prostate cancer, prostate surgery, and prostate cancer treatment options. Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology has multiple Florida facilities located in the Tampa Bay area in Tampa, FL and Brandon, FL.
Jeff’s Prostate Cancer Story
Jeff Hamilton, a NASA engineer and golf enthusiast, found himself working for the Apollo Space Program in Houston, Texas forty-five years ago. Jeff was involved in all of the Apollo/Saturn space launches up until the now infamous “Apollo 13” mission.
After his tenure with the Apollo Space Program, Jeff worked as a venture capitalist with various universities and companies to apply the technologies created for the space program to medicine and other parts of the economy. He worked with some of the major pioneering universities in the United States, including Stanford University where the first CyberKnife System was created.
A few years ago, Jeff’s younger brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent surgery to remove the cancerous cells. Since his brother’s diagnosis, Jeff has been diligent in staying on top of his PSA testing. He continued to have a clean bill of health until a routine round of tests in November, 2008. Jeff’s PSA results came back higher than normal and after a biopsy determined he had a Gleason score of 6, he was diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer.
Jeff’s urologist at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey felt that surgery wasn’t available option for 72-year-old Jeff, and Jeff wasn’t interested in “watchful waiting”. Jeff was then offered three radiation treatment options: insert radioactive seeds into his prostate, conventional radiation therapy or CyberKnife radiosurgery.
“To me, I read these options as “slow, faster, fastest” as far as treatment times go,” Jeff said.
Wanting to get rid of the cancer as quickly as possible, Jeff opted for CyberKnife radiosurgery.
Jeff underwent five CyberKnife treatments during the course of a week. As there are minimal to no side effects with CyberKnife treatments, Jeff was able to maintain his daily routine during his treatments, including daily rounds of golf.
“The treatment was wonderful. No side effects, no problems, and, per my urologist, no cancer,” said Jeff.
Today, Jeff is cancer free and without the pressure of safely landing space shuttles, he is able to enjoy life and focus on improving his golf handicap.
”Dr. Steel was an amazing recommendation to treat my Prostate Cancer. Dr. Steel and Cynthia alleviated ALL fears. The whole TBRO was like family and great at every treatment. Brittany and David made radiation so easy. I was surprised how easy the treatment was! To other patients, trust TBRO for every aspect of treatment! And listen and follow all advice from Brittany! You will thrive in this tough time but with TBRO you have the best team to kick cancer's A**!
T.S.2022 Prostate Cancer Patient
”As a Marine Corps Veteran, the VA nurse informed me Dr. Steel was an excellent reference. The physicians and staff at TBRO were real knowledgeable and when asked questions, explained things in a way that someone not trained in this field would understand. The Doctors and Radiation Techs are really knowledgable!
JBProstate Cancer Patient 2022
About Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer in Florida—and around the country—is the most common cancer in men, after skin cancer. A man has a 1 in 6 chance of getting prostate cancer in his lifetime. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer.
While prostate cancer can be a serious disease, most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. In fact, more than 3.1 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.
Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer
While the most common risk factor for prostate cancer is age, the prostate tends to increase in size as men age, which can cause the urethra to narrow and decrease urine flow. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, and it is not the same as prostate cancer.
Men who do develop prostate cancer, however, usually have one or more other risk factors. These risk factors typically involve family history, such as men with more than one first-degree relative (father, son, or brother) who had prostate cancer. African American men are also more likely to get prostate cancer than other men, tend to get prostate cancer at a younger age, have more advanced disease when diagnosed, and often have a more severe type of prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer Detection and Symptoms
Prostate cancer screening involves a blood test called a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test which measures the level of PSA in the blood. Levels of PSA in the blood are typically higher in men who have prostate cancer, although PSA levels may be elevated by other conditions. Some doctors also perform Digital Rectal Examinations (DRE) to detect abnormalities in the prostate, although there is conflicting evidence as to the benefits of this procedure.
Symptoms of prostate cancer include:
- Difficulty in starting urination
- Weak or interrupted urine flow
- Difficulty emptying the bladder
- Frequent need to urinate, especially at night
- Pain or a burning sensation while urinating
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Persistent pain in the back, hips, or pelvis
- Pain during ejaculation
These symptoms, however, may be caused by conditions other than prostate cancer, so it’s important to see a doctor and have your PSA levels screened if you experience them.