Prostate Cancer
Patient Stories
Meet Dennis, Prostate Cancer Survivor
At the heart of every single treatment delivered at Ackerman Cancer Center is a patient whose life has been affected by cancer. Meet Dennis. His story brings hope and encouragement to others battling this difficult disease. Listen as he shares his experience.
Meet R.B., Prostate Cancer Survivor
Listen as R.B., Prostate Cancer survivor, discusses his experiences, from cancer diagnosis to Proton Therapy treatment at Ackerman Cancer Center to survivorship, with Arthur Crofton of WEJZ.
Meet Velious, Prostate Cancer Survivor
“In fall 2014, my PSA level jumped to 14. I had a da Vinci prostatectomy, but my numbers began to climb again, so I was treated for Prostate Cancer with Proton Therapy at Ackerman Cancer Center. When I completed proton treatment, my PSA score was undetectable, below 1.0. The quality of treatment I received at Ackerman Cancer Center helped. It’s like a family here. It reflects in the way everybody treats the patients. Dr. Ackerman is always available. Any time you ask, he stops what he’s doing, and he’ll talk to you.”
Meet Ken, Prostate Cancer Survivor
“Excellent doctors. Excellent equipment. Excellent staff.”
Meet James, Prostate Cancer Survivor
“I finished Proton Radiation Therapy treatments in July 2015. The treatments couldn’t have gone better. The entire staff at Ackerman Cancer Center was very professional and very caring. I interacted with many people at the Center. From the office workers, to the nurses, social workers, dietitians, technicians, and doctors—I was always treated with positive attitudes and the feeling that everyone was working just for me. I am very grateful to the Ackerman Cancer Center for my treatment and excellent care. I do not believe that I could have received any better treatment and care anywhere in the world.”
Meet Angelo, Prostate Cancer Survivor
“I can honestly say that I have never been shown [this level of] compassion and care at any medical facility I have ever been to. The entire staff displayed a true feeling of caring for their patients. They made me feel like family!”
Treatments
Your oncology team will help you determine which treatment method will produce the best results for your type of prostate cancer. At Ackerman, you will have access to some of the most advanced prostate cancer-fighting technology currently available.
Ackerman Cancer Center’s state-of-the-art prostate treatment options include:
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Proton Therapy
Proton therapy is one of the most precise, advanced radiation treatment modalities available today. In traditional photon radiation, the X-ray beams travel through the tumor, destroying both cancerous and healthy tissue along the way. Proton therapy provides a more efficient solution by utilizing charged particles (protons) to penetrate the tissue and deposit nearly all of their energy directly at the tumor site, thereby reducing damage to surrounding areas.
Ackerman Cancer Center is proud to be the world’s first private practice offering its own proton beam technology. Though proton therapy is not right for every patient, the radiation oncologists at Ackerman Cancer Center will consider all options when developing your personalized treatment plan.
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Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy that delivers a higher dose of radiation directly to the tumor, the area near it, or the site following tumor removal. This approach helps protect surrounding healthy tissue. Ackerman Cancer Center performs brachytherapy treatments such as prostate seed implants, APBI, and Valencia® for skin cancer.
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Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
IMRT uses beams of radiation from multiple angles, and of varying intensities, to conform to the shape of the tumor. IGRT utilizes 3-D images to monitor the tumor’s exact location during treatment. These technologies work together to reduce exposure to healthy tissues and minimize side effects of treatment.
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Prostate Seed Implants
Prostate seed implants are a type of internal radiation therapy, also known as brachytherapy. A doctor or clinician implants radioactive seeds (containing either iodine-125 or palladium-103) into specific parts of the prostate gland using ultrasound guidance. The number of seeds and where they are placed is determined by a treatment plan tailored for each patient. Anywhere from 40 to 160 seeds are commonly implanted.
The implants remain in place permanently, and the radioactivity of the seeds slowly decays over several weeks to months. This technique allows a high dose of radiation to be delivered to the prostate with limited exposure to nearby organs.
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Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)
VMAT is a technique that precisely delivers radiation therapy to tumors. Single or multiple beams sweep in an uninterrupted arc(s) around the patient, while our expert radiation oncologists utilize 3-D imaging to monitor the tumor during treatment. This method reduces exposure to healthy tissues while increasing the radiation dose to the tumor.
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Xofigo®
Xofigo® is a radiation treatment that can help extend the lives of men with advanced forms of prostate cancer. It is an intravenous injection with a typical course of treatment administered over six months. Studies have shown Xofigo® not only increases the length of survival, but may also improve quality of life by reducing side effects like bone pain.
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Barrigel
Barrigel is a hyaluronic acid rectal spacer that is used prior to radiation therapy treatment, that can help minimize prostate radiation side effects by temporarily positioning the rectum away from the prostate. When inserted, Barrigel creates space between the prostate and the rectum, moving the healthy organ out of radiation beam exposure. Barrigel may be implanted at the same time as fiducial markers – small markers placed in your prostate to help line up the radiation beams.
To learn more about Barrigel, speak to one of our physicians and visit barrigel.com