Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Surgical Oncology. In this article, we delve into Prostate Cancer Screening and Treatment, exploring the latest advancements and essential information.
The PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. Elevated levels can indicate cancer, but also non-cancerous conditions like an enlarged prostate.
Many early-stage prostate cancers grow very slowly. In such cases, doctors may recommend "active surveillance"—closely monitoring the cancer with regular tests rather than treating it immediately, to avoid the side effects of surgery or radiation.
If the cancer is aggressive or spreading, treatments include surgery (prostatectomy), radiation therapy, hormone therapy (to lower testosterone, which fuels the cancer), and increasingly, targeted therapies and immunotherapies.