Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate, which is a small gland in the male reproductive system that produces fluid for semen. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, with about 1 in 8 men being diagnosed during their lifetime.
Prostate cancer is often a slow-growing cancer, and if diagnosed early, it can be actively surveilled or treated if necessary. Screening options include a PSA test, which is done through a blood draw and measures the amount of PSA (a protein produced by the prostate) in the blood; and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE), which involves a doctor inserting a finger into the rectum to check the prostate gland for any abnormalities.
Risk Factors
When it comes to decreasing your risk of developing prostate cancer, lifestyle choices matter significantly. Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding tobacco use are all recommended preventive measures. Some studies have found that consuming foods high in lycopene (e.g., tomatoes) might be beneficial.
Treatment Options
There are several treatment options for prostate cancer, each tailored to the severity of the diagnosis. These range from surgery, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The UVM Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office also offers groundbreaking treatments for prostate cancer patients, such as the NRG-GU010 GUIDANCE trial, which looks at whether the addition of hormonal therapy to radiation therapy is beneficial for nonaggressive cancers.
Learn more about UVM Cancer Center clinical trials
Read an expert review of the use of PSMA PET scans for prostate cancer
Larner in the News
UVM Cancer Center members Steven Ades, M.D., and Nataniel Lester-Coll, M.D., discussed prostate cancer risk factors, symptoms, and treatments on a recent episode of UVM’s Across the Fence program.
Both doctors are associate professors of hematology and oncology at Larner. Ades is medical director of the University of Vermont Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office; he specializes in treating patients with genitourinary malignancies, including prostate cancer, and gastrointestinal cancers. Lester-Coll, chief of radiation oncology at the University of Vermont Medical Center, specializes in treating patients with prostate cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, sarcoma, lymphoma, and metastatic malignancies.
Ades was interviewed by WCAX-TV following the announcement of President Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis.