Prostate Cancer

To schedule your prostate screening, call 844.GO.SOVAH (467.6824)

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in American men, with over 183,000 cases diagnosed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Men older than 40 years are at a higher risk of contracting prostate cancer.

The prostate is a gland found only in men. It is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It contains cells that produce some of the fluid (semen) that protects and nourishes sperm, and the urethra, the tube that carries urine, runs through its center. The size of the prostate varies with age; in younger men, it is the size of a walnut, while, in older men, it is typically much larger.

What Are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer may not cause signs or symptoms in its early stages, however, in its more advanced stages, symptoms can include:

• • • Blood in the urine
    • Blood in the semen
    • Bone pain
    • Decreased force in the stream of urine
    • Discomfort in the pelvic area
    • Swelling in the legs
    • Trouble urinating

TAKE A PROSTATE HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)

Discover advanced treatment options for low or intermediate-risk prostate cancer at Sovah Health Danville and Martinsville.

This therapy, called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), precisely delivers high doses of radiation directly to cancer cells, while also avoiding healthy tissue and non-cancerous cells. By avoiding radiation exposure to nearby healthy tissue, it lowers the likelihood of complications caused by toxicity of the bladder, sex organs, and rectum.

In addition to lower toxicity in healthy cells near the tumor, SBRT also has a remarkably shorter treatment duration than traditional radiotherapy. Previous treatment methods required lower doses over 44 sessions, while SBRT is completed in just 5 sessions.