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Prostate cancer is a disease you should take seriously, as it’s the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. At Mission City Urology, Arpan Satsangi, MD, PhD, specializes in preventive care with prostate cancer screening and advanced blood tests that predict your risk of aggressive cancer. Dr. Satsangi is also an expert in active surveillance and minimally invasive treatment that targets the tumor while preserving your prostate. Don’t wait to learn when you should have your first prostate cancer screening. Call the office in San Antonio, Texas, or request an appointment online today.
Prostate Cancer Q & A
What causes prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer develops when cells in the gland grow at an abnormally fast rate. About 20% of prostate cancers occur in men who have a family history of the disease.
If you have a family history, you may inherit genes that increase your tendency to develop cancer-causing DNA mutations. These mutations typically occur in response to environmental toxins and lifestyle triggers.
Though not as common, you could also have hereditary prostate cancer. As a result, you’re born with genes that have already mutated, and you have a much higher risk for prostate cancer.
What symptoms develop if I have prostate cancer?
As the tumor enlarges, you have symptoms such as:
- Frequent need to urinate
- Weak or interrupted urine flow
- Need to urinate during the night
- Blood in urine
- New-onset erectile dysfunction
- Discomfort or pain when sitting
You have additional symptoms if the cancer spreads to other parts of your body.
When should I get a prostate cancer screening?
The best way to determine when you need prostate cancer screening is to meet with Dr. Satsangi at Mission City Urology. After he does an exam and risk assessment, he can give you a personalized recommendation.
Screening tests include a digital rectal exam (DRE) and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. During a DRE, Dr. Satsangi can feel tumors or irregularities in your prostate. High PSA levels may indicate prostate cancer, but you can also have a high PSA test if you have an enlarged prostate or prostatitis (an inflamed prostate).
How is prostate cancer diagnosed?
Dr. Satsangi diagnoses prostate cancer with a minimally invasive biopsy. But before making the decision to perform a biopsy, he may do a cutting-edge blood test called the 4Kscore®.
The 4Kscore protocol analyzes the information from your blood test, together with your risk factors and the results of your DRE. The resulting score accurately predicts your risk for aggressive prostate cancer.
Dr. Satsangi may recommend a liquid biopsy, a blood test that identifies specific genes associated with prostate cancer. This test is more accurate than measuring PSA and can also be used to monitor prostate cancer.
How is prostate cancer treated?
Dr. Satsangi specializes in active surveillance for slow-growing cancers. During surveillance, he does regular screenings to monitor the cancer’s growth and determine when you need treatment. Aggressive cancers need immediate treatment.
When it’s time to treat your cancer, Dr. Satsangi is an expert in minimally invasive procedures such as cryotherapy. During this procedure, he freezes the cancer cells, destroying the tumor without affecting the rest of your prostate gland.
You may need other treatments if your cancer is aggressive or has already spread beyond the prostate. Examples include radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
If you have questions about prostate cancer or cancer screening, call Mission City Urology or request an appointment online today.