Robotics Treatment for Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a male gland, typically the size of a walnut or larger, that sits below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Its function is to produce fluid that protects and nourishes sperm cells in semen.

Cancer of the prostate usually develops from the gland cells. Symptoms of the disease include difficulty passing urine, blood in the urine and erectile dysfunction.
Men above the age of 50 are most at risk of developing the disease. And the probability increases to 80 percent once they hit 80 years old, says Dr. Isares Saisorn, a specialist in urological surgery at Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Other primary contributing factors include smoking and a diet rich in animal fat, and certain racial groups are also predisposed to developing prostate cancer.

Doctors usually perform a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test to screen patients for prostate cancer. The PSA is a protein produced by prostate gland cells, and leaks into the bloodstream when the cancer attacks the normal structure of the prostate. A PSA test would therefore show positive for the cancer if it detects elevated levels of the protein in the blood.
But this test is not a perfect method, says Dr. Isares. “There are many other factors that could increase the PSA levels, and some of these causes are unknown. But at least we have a way to screen for prostate cancer.”

Treatment varies according to the development stage of the cancer and its aggressiveness, which is determined by the Gleason grading system. A higher Gleason score indicates a more aggressive cancer, and would require surgery or radiation therapy to treat the patient. Although these treatment options often yield successful results in treating prostate cancer, they could also lead to side effects in the patient including urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and bladder inflammation.

Dr. Isares recommends a new form of treatment that reduces the risk of side effects. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) produces an ultrasound wave, about 10,000 times stronger than a normal ultrasound, directed at the prostate cancer cells, heating them up and killing them.

Because HIFU is controlled by a robotic arm and monitored real-time by doctors, Dr. Isares says that they are able to avoid other structures near the prostate like the bladder, the sphincter muscles that control continence and the nerves that control erection.

There are no enforced guidelines to prostate cancer screening, but Dr. Isares advises those who are at higher risk of developing the cancer or have a family history to go for an annual PSA test.

“There are studies to show that men aged 45 to 50 who have a PSA level of less than one have a very small chance of developing prostate cancer in their lifetime,” says Dr. Isares. Therefore, he says a screening every two to three years after 50 would suffice.

He also recommends a lifestyle change to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. This includes quitting smoking, having a diet with less animal fat and increasing vitamin D intake.

Interview originally published on www.globalhealthandtravel.com

Photo Credit: red line highway via Compfight cc