The revolutionary treatment of Swedish CyberKnife provides better quality of life for majority of patients

SPONSORED – Do you know someone who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer? Chances are, you do. After all, 1 in 8 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. That makes prostate cancer the most common cancer in American men, after skin cancer.

There is good news; when detected early, prostate cancer is curable. In fact, 3.1 million men in the U.S. who’ve been diagnosed are alive today.

In its early stages, prostate cancer often has no symptoms, which is why screening can be vital. How do you get screened? A simple blood test, called a PSA test.

When should men get screened for Prostate Cancer?

First, talk to your doctor and go over your particular risk factors. You may have more than one risk factor at play. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that men have a chance to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer. The decision should be made after getting information about the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening. The discussion about screening should take place at:

• Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years.
• Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
• Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age)

Who is at the most risk of developing prostate cancer?

The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, although it is most common after age 50. As men age, that risk increases, with men over age 65 accounting for 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer. Family history is also a factor – if your father or brother has prostate cancer, your risk of developing it more than doubles. Race and ethnicity also play a part in your risk, African American men have a greater risk of developing prostate cancer and dying from it. In fact, 1 in 6 Black men will be diagnosed during their lifetime, and 1 in 25 will die from the disease.

Many men are hesitant to get PSA test because they fear the treatment and the side effects of treatment. This is why it is important to understand prostate cancer screening, diagnosis and the treatments available. If detected early, you may have more treatment options available than if the cancer is found at an advanced stage.

A Revolutionary Treatment – Swedish CyberKnife

There are a wide variety of treatments options available for men with prostate cancer. One of the most technologically advanced treatment options in the Pacific Northwest is Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy using the CyberKnife platform at Swedish Medical Center. Published data shows exceptional outcomes, few side effects, and treatment is conducted over the course of only one week. Swedish physicians have published 97% cure rates and patients report better quality of life during and after treatment.

The CyberKnife is a robotic system that uses real-time image guidance to deliver radiation from thousands of beam angle with virtually unlimited directions with robotic mobility. All while constantly correcting for patient and tumor movement throughout treatment, ensuring radiation beams are always locked on the target. This design enables clinicians to maximize and conform the dose to the tumor target while limiting radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue, therefore reducing side effects such as erectile dysfunction, urinary and bowel complications.

You have many treatment options available, if you are interested in the most advanced, effective treatment, consider Swedish CyberKnife at swedish.org/cyberknifeprostate or call them at 206-320-7187.