Prostate Cancer Care
Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer in men, not including skin cancer. Although the disease affects 1 in 9 men, it has a 95% survival rate if detected before it has spread to other organs. Fortunately, most prostate cancers are slow growing, easily diagnosed and highly treatable when found early.
The dedicated team at Beaufort Memorial — which includes board-certified primary care providers, urologists, radiation and medical oncologists, specialized nurses, and other experts — works with you to develop a screening regimen based on your personal health history. If cancer is found, we coordinate a personalized treatment plan that minimizes the disease’s impact on your life.
Find a primary care provider who can advise you on prostate cancer screenings.
About Prostate Cancer
The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped gland in men located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate show a highly abnormal growth pattern. Almost all prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, which develop from the gland cells that make the prostate fluid that is added to semen.
Age and race are two primary risk factors for prostate cancer. The disease occurs most frequently in men over age 65 and is more common in African American men than Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian American men. Having a family history of the disease appears to increase risk, but most cases are found in men with no family history.
Inherited gene changes also increase a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer. Depending on your family history and other criteria, your primary care provider may refer you to the Beaufort Memorial Cancer Genetics and High-Risk Program in Beaufort or Okatie for genetic testing and risk management. Guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) are used to determine if genetic testing is appropriate.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Because prostate cancer often develops slowly, many men do not notice symptoms in the early stages, when the cancer is easiest to treat. When symptoms do appear, they typically indicate advanced prostate cancer and include:
- Blood in urine or semen
- Difficulty urinating
- Erectile dysfunction
- Feeling the need to urinate more frequently
- Hip, back or chest pain, or pain in other parts of the body where cancer may have spread to the bones
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Numbness or weakness in the lower extremities
Prostate Cancer Detection and Diagnosis
Beaufort Memorial offers routine prostate cancer screenings — prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, tests and digital rectal exams — to men at average risk age 50 or older. Depending on your individual risk factors, you may need to begin screening as early as age 40.
Our physicians perform these quick and routine tests right in the office. If they find anything abnormal, they will arrange all follow-up tests, including the latest in ultrasound-guided biopsies.
Learn more about prostate cancer screening, and speak with your primary care provider about which method is most appropriate for you.
Need a primary care provider? These primary care providers are accepting new patients.
Prostate Cancer Treatment at Beaufort Memorial
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, rest assured you’re in highly skilled and caring hands. Our multidisciplinary team will work closely with you to coordinate a cancer treatment plan.
First, our physicians will evaluate your cancer to determine whether it is growing slowly enough that watchful waiting, or active surveillance, is all you need. If you need additional treatment options, we offer hormone therapy, as well as the most advanced technology available, including the TrueBeamTM linear accelerator, which delivers high-dose, highly precise radiation to kill cancer cells while preserving healthy tissue. All treatments are designed to help protect the delicate nerves that control urinary and sexual function.
Read more about prostate cancer treatment at Beaufort Memorial.
Total Support for the Journey
We’re committed to caring for the whole you and providing the resources you and your loved ones need to manage a cancer diagnosis. You’ll find a full range of cancer support services — from nutritional counseling to support groups and lymphedema prevention. And you’ll have your own nurse navigator and social worker available to help guide you along your journey.