Six Things Your Urologist Wants You To Know About Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate cancer, two words still spoken about in hushed tones, or if possible, not mentioned publicly at all because of the fear and stigma attached to this silent killer in men. Learning more about the disease will help men get early treatment and manage the symptoms much better.

6 Things About Prostate Cancer Treatment

Let’s break the silence as Dr Likhiteswer Pallagani, Consultant Urologist, Uro-Onco & Robotic Surgeon at KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad and Fellow in Uro-Oncology & Robotic Surgery, USA talk about six things you need to know about the disease that can help you get a better quality of life and give you more time to make sweet memories with loved ones:

#1 Knowing the Basics

The prostate is a small gland that is happy to stay out of the limelight till it begins to trouble you. If you are visiting the bathroom frequently at night, it could be because of age- related Benign Enlargement of the prostate or, more seriously, prostate cancer. Today, the disease is not as frightening as it was a decade ago.

Dr Pallagani shares, “Rapid advances in precision medicine, artificial intelligence, robotics, targeted therapies and minimally invasive treatments have made both diagnosis and management far more accurate and effective in helping affected men retain their quality of life.”

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Early consultation still makes a world of difference

Men often delay seeing a doctor if they’re facing any urinary issues due to shame and the invasion of privacy, but the truth is the sooner you have honest conversations with your doctor, the earlier you get a diagnosis, the faster, simpler and more effective your treatment becomes.
According to Dr Pallagani, “If you’re noticing any changes in your urination big or small, pain, blood in urine or semen, fix an appointment with your urologist.”

Early-stage prostate cancer often shows no symptoms so regular screenings and open discussions with your doctor can help detect issues way before they become serious. With ongoing advances in medical science and technology, patients today have more hope than ever before.

PSA tests are an early warning system

The simple Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test is a good first step to diagnose the cancer early on, when it’s easiest to treat. Even with newer scans and biomarkers, urologists recommend not skipping your regular PSA checks as rising levels can signal trouble long before symptoms appear, saving lives through early action. Other tests include MRI scan, PHI test, PSMA PET scan.

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The role of AI in prostate cancer

Inroads made by Artificial Intelligence (AI) are profoundly transforming prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. AI tools, such as the FDA-approved Paige Prostate AI for pathology review and the prognostic ArteraAI test, can analyze complex scans and biopsy results with greater speed and accuracy than manual methods, helping clinicians detect cancer much earlier.
“AI support, when integrated with robotic systems, significantly enhances surgical precision during procedures like radical prostatectomy. Furthermore, AI is crucial in stratifying patients at diagnosis and using multi-modal data to determine the most effective, personalized treatment strategies,” shares Dr Pallagani.

Focal Therapies

Why remove or radiate the entire prostate or groin if the cancer is just in one tiny spot? Focal therapies for prostate cancer such as High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to treat low, to intermediate-risk, early-stage prostate cancer is enabling doctors to offer targeted treatment.

Another exciting focal treatment is the TULSA-PRO - a completely incision-free, radiation-free treatment that uses real-time MRI guidance and ultrasound energy delivered from inside the urethra to precisely destroy only the diseased parts of the prostate. This minimally invasive treatment is customisable and allows patients to return to normal life in just a few days with faster recovery time and fewer side effects.

Personalized treatment plans

Summing up, Dr Pallagani says, “Prostate cancer treatment no longer follows a one-size-fits-all approach. No two prostate cancers are ever the same so why should the treatment be en masse? Today, urologists use genetic testing, advanced imaging, and tumour profiling to create a plan made just for you. This means choosing treatments most likely to work for you while avoiding those that will cause more harm than good. Personalisation means you have the best shot at beating cancer with the fewest side effects.”