Prostate Cancer

About 95% of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, which start in prostate gland cells. When doctors talk about prostate cancer, they are usually talking about adenocarcinoma.

Rarely, other cancers can start in the prostate, though doctors don’t usually call them “prostate cancer.” These other types include:  

• Large cell or small cell carcinomas, which commonly start in the lung

• Sarcomas, which typically start in bones or other tissues like muscles or fat 

Prostate cancer occurs when cells in your prostate gland grow and divide out of control. Experts don’t know exactly why this happens, but certain factors increase your risk, including:

Age
Prostate cancer is more common in men over age 50.

Ethnicity and race
African American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry get prostate cancer more than other races. Prostate cancer occurs less often in Asian American, Hispanic, and Latino men.

Genetic mutations
If you have specific gene variants, including BRCA1, BRCA2, and Lynch syndrome, you may have a higher risk of prostate cancer. If certain cancers run in your family, your provider may recommend genetic testing to look for these and other gene mutations.

Family history
Prostate cancer may run in families. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, you have a higher risk of developing it.

Weight
Older men who are also overweight or obese may have a higher risk than those who have a lower body weight. 

What Are The Treatments For Prostate Cancer?

Before starting your treatment, we talk with you about the stage and grade of cancer, your medical history, and your lifestyle. Our experts carefully craft your plan based on your needs and preferences. Depending on your case and goals, your treatment may include:

Active surveillance

If you have a small, slow-growing cancer, we may talk with you about active surveillance. With this approach, you get regular checks to ensure the tumor isn’t growing or spreading.

Radiation therapy

We provide the full range of radiation therapy options for prostate cancer, including:

• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT), which points precise beams at the cancer cells from outside your body  
• Interstitial brachytherapy, or radiation seeds, that our specialists implant inside the prostate  
• Proton therapy, a highly accurate form of radiation therapy that uses subatomic particles, or protons, to pinpoint the cancer and minimize damage to healthy tissue

Surgery

Surgery is a common treatment for prostate cancer. We provide the most advanced options, including:

• Open radical prostatectomy, which removes the prostate through a low abdominal incision
• Minimally invasive prostatectomy, which offers smaller incisions and a faster recovery than open surgery
• Robotic-assisted prostatectomy, where our surgeons use slim robotic instruments and a camera to remove the prostate with tiny incisions  
• Cryosurgery, which kills cancer cells by freezing them  
• Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), which can provide relief from urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate  

Medications

If prostate cancer has spread to other parts of your body, you may benefit from whole-body medications. These medications include:  

• Chemotherapy, which is a group of medicines that destroy all fast-growing cells in your body
• Immunotherapy, which tells your immune system to attack cancer cells
• Targeted therapies, which are customized medications that can stop cancer cells from multiplying and spreading

Can You Prevent Prostate Cancer?

There is no known way to prevent prostate cancer. However, the best way to avoid advanced prostate cancer is with regular screenings, which can catch the disease in its early stages. Detecting the disease sooner means treatment is more likely to be successful.  

Trusted expertise
Our specialists trained at leading institutions across the country. They bring their extensive knowledge and experience to each patient.

What is Prostate Cancer?

If you’re facing a prostate cancer diagnosis, you deserve expert care that meets all your needs. Our physicians carefully evaluate the type and stage of cancer so we can customize your treatment and provide the best possible results.  

We are experienced in the most advanced therapies, offering services, like proton therapy, that aren’t widely available. And with locations across Texas, it’s easier to fit your treatment plan into your busy life. 

How Is Prostate Cancer Diagnosed?

In many cases, physicians find prostate cancer during routine screening, which includes:

• Blood test to measure your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels
• Digital rectal examination (DRE), which allows the provider to check the prostate for anything abnormal

If these tests show possible prostate cancer, your care team may perform below.

Prostate biopsy

A urologist uses a special needle to remove some cells from your prostate gland and sends the cells to a lab for testing. You receive numbing medication before the biopsy to keep you comfortable, and we use transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) to guide the biopsy tool.

Imaging tests

If you receive a prostate cancer diagnosis, you may need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. These tests can help stage the cancer and identify whether it has spread to other areas of the body. 

What Are The Treatments For Prostate Cancer?

Before starting your treatment, we talk with you about the stage and grade of cancer, your medical history, and your lifestyle. Our experts carefully craft your plan based on your needs and preferences. Depending on your case and goals, your treatment may include:

Active surveillance

If you have a small, slow-growing cancer, we may talk with you about active surveillance. With this approach, you get regular checks to ensure the tumor isn’t growing or spreading.

Radiation therapy

We provide the full range of radiation therapy options for prostate cancer, including:

• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT), which points precise beams at the cancer cells from outside your body  
• Interstitial brachytherapy, or radiation seeds, that our specialists implant inside the prostate  
• Proton therapy, a highly accurate form of radiation therapy that uses subatomic particles, or protons, to pinpoint the cancer and minimize damage to healthy tissue

Surgery

Surgery is a common treatment for prostate cancer. We provide the most advanced options, including:

• Open radical prostatectomy, which removes the prostate through a low abdominal incision
• Minimally invasive prostatectomy, which offers smaller incisions and a faster recovery than open surgery
• Robotic-assisted prostatectomy, where our surgeons use slim robotic instruments and a camera to remove the prostate with tiny incisions  
• Cryosurgery, which kills cancer cells by freezing them  
• Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), which can provide relief from urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate  

Medications

If prostate cancer has spread to other parts of your body, you may benefit from whole-body medications. These medications include:  

• Chemotherapy, which is a group of medicines that destroy all fast-growing cells in your body
• Immunotherapy, which tells your immune system to attack cancer cells
• Targeted therapies, which are customized medications that can stop cancer cells from multiplying and spreading

Can You Prevent Prostate Cancer?

There is no known way to prevent prostate cancer. However, the best way to avoid advanced prostate cancer is with regular screenings, which can catch the disease in its early stages. Detecting the disease sooner means treatment is more likely to be successful.  

Advanced therapies
Our prostate cancer team provides innovative treatments that are easier on your body. Our surgeons perform minimally invasive surgery whenever possible, and our proton therapy offers highly precise radiation to minimize side effects.

Experts close to home
We make it as easy as possible to access the care you need. With locations across the state, you are likely to find a provider near where you live and work.

Trusted expertise
Our specialists trained at leading institutions across the country. They bring their extensive knowledge and experience to each patient.

Prostate cancer occurs when cells in your prostate gland grow and divide out of control. Experts don’t know exactly why this happens, but certain factors increase your risk, including:

Age
Prostate cancer is more common in men over age 50.

Ethnicity and race
African American men and Caribbean men of African ancestry get prostate cancer more than other races. Prostate cancer occurs less often in Asian American, Hispanic, and Latino men.

Genetic mutations
If you have specific gene variants, including BRCA1, BRCA2, and Lynch syndrome, you may have a higher risk of prostate cancer. If certain cancers run in your family, your provider may recommend genetic testing to look for these and other gene mutations.

Family history
Prostate cancer may run in families. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, you have a higher risk of developing it.

Weight
Older men who are also overweight or obese may have a higher risk than those who have a lower body weight.