Prostate Cancer
Coming Soon!Around 165,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually. All men should have prostate cancer screenings starting at the age of 50, as this is the best way to diagnose the disease early and begin treatment. At Urology Care of Central New Jersey in Edison, New Jersey, Binod Sinha, MD, FACS, provides comprehensive screening services and procedures to help you fight cancer. If you’re due for screening or have prostate cancer, call Urology Care of Central New Jersey or schedule a consultation online today.
Prostate Cancer Q & A
What is prostate cancer?
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located below the bladder and in front of the rectum, surrounding your urethra. Prostate cancer develops as malignant cells multiply in the tissues of the prostate gland.
As with other types of cancer and health conditions, routine health screenings are critical to early diagnosis and successful treatment. When Dr. Sinha detects cancer early, you can start treatment before your cancer reaches advanced stages, which not only reduces your symptoms and risk of premature death but also can allow for less invasive treatment.
What should I expect during prostate examination?
Dr. Sinha offers a few tests to screen for cancer including the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. You produce higher levels of PSA when you have prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels are a reliable early indicator of prostate cancer, which can make a significant impact on your treatment.
The other test to screen for prostate cancer is the digital rectal exam. During this procedure, Dr. Sinha inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into your rectum to feel for lumps or other abnormalities on your prostate.
Dr. Sinha also offers genetic screening for PCA3, a cancer gene that may be present if you have high PSA levels but your biopsy is negative.
How is prostate cancer treated?
If you have prostate cancer, Dr. Sinha works with your oncologist to deliver a treatment plan to remove cancer from your body. Depending on the severity of your condition, your treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a combination of treatments.
When appropriate, Dr. Sinha also offers cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a noninvasive treatment that requires little anesthesia and destroys cancer cells by freezing them. Cryotherapy is an outpatient procedure and doesn’t take much time.
During the procedure, you’re numbed and given a catheter to maintain the temperature of your urethra while your prostate is frozen. Dr. Sinha uses an ultrasound wand to guide the placement of the needles that freeze your prostate gland, which kills the cancer cells.
After your treatment, it’s common to have some discomfort, blood in your urine, and urinary incontinence symptoms, which usually subside within a week or two. You also have follow-up screenings to determine if cryotherapy was successful.
If you have prostate cancer or are due for a prostate cancer screening, call Urology Care of Central New Jersey or schedule an appointment online today.