Prostate cancer ranks third in the prevalence of cancer cases among men: more than 400,000 patients are diagnosed with the disease annually. It is currently impossible to answer the questions on how and why prostate cancer develops.
What are the risk factors for developing prostate cancer?
Even though the exact causes of prostate cancer development are not identified, the risk factors include:
1. Age. The risk of prostate cancer increases with age, specifically after 55 years.
2. Heredity. If there is a family history of prostate cancer, the likelihood of developing a tumor increases.
3. Diet. Prostate cancer develops more often in men who eat a lot of animal protein and fatty foods. Fats stimulate the production of testosterone, which accelerates the growth of tumor cells.
4. Potentially dangerous work environment. Contact with cadmium (welding and printing jobs, rubber production) is regarded as a likely risk factor for the development of prostate cancer.
5. Low-mobility lifestyle. With little movement, blood circulation in the pelvis is altered. As a result, the oxygen supply to the tissues of the pelvic organs worsens, which can cause the formation of atypical cells.
What happens at different prostate cancer stages?
Depending on the cancer spreading, the patient’s prognosis may vary. Therefore, determining the stage of the oncological process is extremely important.
At stage 1, the tumor is asymptomatic. Changes in the structure of the gland and its cells can be observed only with the cellular examination. At stage 2, the tumor is seen on the ultrasound scan. It is still limited to the prostate gland. At stage 3 of prostate cancer, there is a spread of the tumor cells to the adjacent body tissues. At stage 4 of the diagnosis, metastases are found in the liver, lymph nodes, lungs, or bones.
Can you have prostate cancer stage 4 with no symptoms?
Hardly. At this stage, the tumor spreads to other organs, most often to the bones and lymph nodes. Urinary disorders, pain in bones, weight loss, and fatigue are common clinical manifestations of advanced prostate cancer.
What are the treatment options?
Conventional protocols suggest that with no metastases or with metastases only in the lymph nodes, the treatment consists of a combination of radical prostatectomy with the removal of lymph nodes, hormone therapy, and radiation therapy before and after surgery.
In the presence of metastases to internal organs, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiation therapy are used to improve the health condition.
Conventional methods vs. innovative methods
The majority of prostate cancer patients undergo surgery or radiation therapy. Relapses occur in many of those patients despite optimal therapeutic tactics. In such a situation, Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy can be prescribed as a new treatment method for advanced prostate cancer. Thus, it is a valuable option for patients who hardly have an alternative to the first-line therapy.
A radioisotope Lutetium-177 interacts with PSMA molecules that are present on the surface of cancer cells. The drug binds to the membrane of cancer cells, regardless of their location, and destroys them with local radiation.
Experience shows that in many patients who did not receive any results after standard treatment, a positive response to Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy was observed, that is, there was a decrease in tumor volume and/or a decrease in PSA levels.
Where to undergo treatment of prostate cancer during a lockdown?
To save your time on research, here’s the list of the hospitals that demonstrate the best success rates in the treatment of prostate cancer stage 4:
1. Helios Hospital Berlin-Buch
2. University Hospital Frankfurt am Main
3. University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden
4. University Hospital Erlangen
5. University Hospital Bonn
If you don’t know how exactly you may undergo treatment during the lockdown, you can contact the medical tourism company Booking Health. They will do everything for you, from booking the tickets and accommodation to facilitating application for a medical visa. In addition, Booking Health deals with all aspects of treatment organization during the lockdown.
Thousands of patients have already used the services of Booking Health. You can go to the Booking Health website and check the patients’ reviews yourself. Besides, you are free to leave a request on the Booking Health website to receive information on how your treatment will be organized.