Thanks to a GPS-like system guiding doctors to the precise location of where cancer can be found in the prostate, more men are receiving the most advanced treatment of this kind at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital.
It’s called MRI-guided fusion biopsy and Gerald Andriole, MD, Washington University urological surgeon at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish and Barnes-Jewish West County hospitals, says, “It allows us to target the biopsy into the most suspicious area and see exactly where the cancer is. And this procedure only takes about 15 minutes.”
Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital is the only hospital in the region that has this technology that has been in place for about a year, Dr. Andriole says. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men and he says his team sees about 1,000 patients a year. The chances of a man getting prostate cancer are equivalent to his age. For example, a 70 year-old-man has a 70 percent chance of having the disease.
The prostate is a walnut-size gland that is found only in males. It is located below the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate’s job is to make fluid that nourishes sperm.
Men in their late 40s should begin getting screened for prostate cancer, Dr. Andriole says. But if there is a strong family history, with two or more first-degree relatives, such as a brother or father, or if a man is African-American, there is a higher potential risk and screening should begin by age 40.
And while there are no magic bullets for preventing prostate cancer, Dr. Andriole recommends that if a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, active surveillance along with lifestyle changes can be the best approach. Many times, prostate cancer is a very slow-growing disease and some men might never need treatment. In those cases, active surveillance means taking a PSA or prostate-specific antigen blood test every three months and getting an MRI and follow-up fusion biopsy every year or see to see if there is any growth.
As for lifestyle changes – more exercise, healthy diet, whole grains and vegetables, and less grilled meat – Dr. Andriole says that these are all beneficial to better health but not proven in preventing prostate cancer.
Other tips to consider include:
- Omega 3 – This is fatty acid and can be found in fish, such as tuna, trout, sardines and salmon. Studies have found that eating a low-fat diet and taking fish oil supplements slows the growth of prostate cancer cells.
- Lycopene – This antioxidant can be found in red foods, like tomatoes and watermelons. The redder the better, so go for the vine-ripened tomatoes – they will have more lycopene. Studies show that men who eat these foods have a lower risk of prostate cancer than those who don’t.
- Zinc – Fortified breakfast cereal, cashews, chicken and oysters are ways to include this mineral in your diet. Supplements have also been shown to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer as well.
To schedule an appointment for with Dr. Gerald Andriole or another specialist, call 314.542.WEST (9378) or toll-free 844.542.9378 or request a call for an appointment.