Negative biopsies among early-stage prostate cancer patients that have chosen active surveillance are associated with a low risk of disease progression. Unfortunately, they aren’t a sign that their cancer has completely vanished, a new study indicates.
“Active surveillance” refers to close monitoring for signs of cancer progression. It is often called “watchful waiting.” Patients sometimes get regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, prostate exams, imaging, and repeat biopsies. The objective of active surveillance is to avoid or delay treatment and its side effects without putting patients at risk of cancer progression and death.
Sometimes, active surveillance patients have negative biopsies that show no evidence of prostate cancer. While some of these patients may believe that their cancer has “vanished,” they most likely have low-volume or limited, hidden areas of prostate cancer that weren’t detected in the biopsy sample.
“While a negative biopsy is good news, the long-term implications associated with such ‘hidden’ cancers remain unclear,” said study author Dr. Carissa Chu, from the University of California, San Francisco.
For the study, Chu and colleagues analyzed data from 514 men undergoing active surveillance for early-stage prostate cancer between 2000 and 2019. All had at least three surveillance biopsies after their initial prostate cancer diagnosis. Of those patients, 37% had at least one negative biopsy, including 15% with consecutive negative biopsies, according to the report.
Men with negative biopsies had more favorable disease characteristics, including low PSA density and fewer samples with cancer at the initial prostate biopsy. Negative biopsies were also associated with good long-term outcomes, the researchers said.
After 10 years, rates of survival with no need for prostate cancer treatment (such as surgery or radiation) were 84% for men with consecutive negative biopsies, 74% for those with one negative biopsy and 66% for those with no negative biopsies.
After adjusting for other factors, the researchers concluded that men with one or more negative biopsies were much less likely to have cancer detected on a later biopsy.
“For men undergoing active surveillance, negative biopsies indicate low-volume disease and lower rates of disease progression,” Chu said in a journal news release. “These ‘hidden’ cancers have excellent long-term outcomes and remain ideal for continued active surveillance.”
If you are in need of a urologist in South Florida to aid in any prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment, then contact Z Urology for a team that is dedicated to delivering world-class expertise in urology, along with an unwavering commitment to their patients. Our three locations to choose from are located in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Pompano Beach.
You can go to the website directly and set up an appointment or you can call 954-714-8200. Either way, you contact, you will be setting up to see the leading urologist office in all of South Florida. With an extremely talented and professional staff of doctors and more, you are in truly good hands with the doctors and nurses at Z Urology.
Z Urology knows that there are many fears and misconceptions when it comes to monitoring prostate health. The only way to detect prostate cancer, a common and often initial asymptomatic disease amongst men, is through regular screenings.
Many urologists will agree that there is some fear of patients not wanting to come and get their lab drawn and get their prostate examined. But maybe there is more to the issue. Maybe they are not even aware they should be getting screened for prostate cancer.
The biggest fear that men have when it comes to monitoring prostate health, is if they end up having to get their prostate removed they may experience erectile dysfunction.
Many men have heard through the gossip vines, that if you get your prostate removed then there’s a good chance you will have a problem with erections in the future. But this is not always the case as far as having your prostate removed. There is a portion of men who do have problems with erections, but that rate is actually getting lower and lower.
All-in-all, there is nothing that can prevent the development of prostate cancer, so it is of monumental importance to get regular screenings.
There have been no supplements on the market that have shown effective in preventing prostate cancer. The most important thing is for every male between the age of 55 and 70 to talk with their physician about screening for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer deaths.
Talk about getting a screening. Encourage your loved ones to go for screening. That’s an easy way to ensure you’re on top of your prostate health. For the sake of your health, book an appointment with Z Urology, and get a screening.
To know what Rezum® therapy can do, you must first learn what it is meant to treat. The Rezum® Water Vapor Therapy, which is conducted here at Z Urology is done to treat BPH.
BPH is excess growth of prostate tissue that compresses and obstructs the urethra, reducing the flow of urine from the bladder and sometimes blocking it entirely. Symptoms include waking up multiple times during the night to urinate; frequency, urgency, irregular and weak urinary flow; anxiety; challenges with sexual function and limitations on daily activities.
Rezum® is a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment designed to relieve BPH symptoms by reducing the extra prostate tissue causing the problems being experienced.
How Does it Work
Rezum® is a treatment for BPH that is performed in an outpatient setting. It uses the stored thermal energy in water vapor to treat the extra prostate tissue that is causing the symptoms.
Who Can Benefit from the Procedure
Those who benefit most, are men who have elected to discontinue or who have not taken their take BPH medications. Those who are not receptive to other surgical BPH procedures. And guys who have shown that they are not bothered by symptoms enough to elect an invasive surgical procedure.
What are the Side Effects
Most reported side effects are mild to moderate in severity and are typically resolved within a few weeks. The most frequent side effect being urinary symptoms such as frequency, urgency, discomfort during urination, or blood in the urine.
How Soon Before I See Results
Improvement for the symptoms being suffered following the procedure is gradual. Significant symptom improvement is typically seen in as soon as two weeks. Keep in mind though, that responses to the treatment vary.
Remember, Z Urology not only does Rezum® therapy, but also provide state-of-the-art urologic care in the South Florida area with a focus on both male and female urology. Our practice specializes in all urologic procedures, specifically, minimally invasive methods. Our three locations to choose from are located in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Pompano Beach.
We specialize in bladder issues, erectile dysfunction (ED), prostate issues, urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, stone disease, BPH, male infertility, pyeloplasty, Peyronie’s disease, and ureteral reimplantation.
One of the most common types of cancer that afflicts men is prostate cancer. Your prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland that produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Like most cancers, it is usually very difficult to notice the signs that are telling your body something is wrong. However, after this cancer goes untreated for extended periods of time, then it will grow to different areas around the body and become much more serious. Thankfully, most prostate cancers are recognized in their earliest stages. Here are some of the different signals that may indicate that you have prostate cancer.
Pay Attention to Your Body
Your body doesn’t just respond to the commands that you give it all day. It also has a built-in filtration system and a notification system. This means that it has its own ways to notify you that the internal areas of your body are having issues. Here are some of the signs that may indicate prostate cancer:
Trouble with urination
Decreased force in the stream during urination
Blood in the urine
Blood in the semen
General pain in the lower back, hips or thighs
Bone pain
Weakness in legs or difficulty walking
Swelling in your legs
Unexplained weight loss
Erectile dysfunction
All of these are small indications that point to an underlying medical condition. Although these symptoms may mean a bunch of different illnesses, prostate cancer is on that list.
Factors that Affect Prostate Cancer
There are a few different factors that may increase or decrease your chances of obtaining prostate cancer. Here are the risk factors:
Old age
Statistics show that those with African ancestry have a higher chance of prostate cancer
Family history of prostate cancer or other cancers
Obesity
Diets that primarily focus around meats and dairy
The best way to maintain your distance from prostate cancer is by living a healthy lifestyle. Don’t indulge in too many meats and dairy. Exercise as much as possible and make sure to be honest and detailed with your health care provider.
Obviously, there are risk factors when it comes to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). It is important to know what to look for so that one can take the proper measures for dealing with BPH.
Risk factors for prostate gland enlargement include:
• Age. Prostate gland enlargement rarely causes signs and symptoms in men younger than 40. About one-third of men experience moderate to severe symptoms by 60. Half do so by 80.
• Family History. Having a blood relative (father or a brother) with prostate problems means you’re much more likely to have these problems.
• Food & Exercise. Obesity increases the risk of BPH. Exercise lowers your risk. It is that simple.
• Diabetes and Heart Disease. Studies show that diabetes and heart disease as well as the use of beta-blockers, may increase the risk of BPH.
Complications of an enlarged prostate can include:
• Sudden Inability to Urinate (Urinary Retention). One might need to have a catheter (tube) inserted into the bladder to drain the urine. Some men with an enlarged prostate actually need surgery to relieve urinary retention.
• Bladder Stones. These stones are usually caused by an inability to completely empty the bladder. Bladder stones cause infection, bladder irritation, blood in the urine and obstruction of urine flow.
• Bladder Damage. A bladder that hasn’t emptied completely stretches and weakens over time. As a result, the muscular wall of the bladder no longer contracts properly, making it harder to fully empty your bladder.
• Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). The inability to fully empty the bladder can increase the risk of infection in your urinary tract. If UTIs occur too frequently, you might need surgery to remove part of the prostate.
• Kidney Damage. Pressure in the bladder from urinary retention can directly damage the kidneys or allow bladder infections to reach the kidneys.
Most men with enlarged prostates don’t develop these complications. However, acute urinary retention and kidney damage can be serious health threats. Having an enlarged prostate is not believed to increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.
If you think you might have Benign prostatic hyperplasia, call one of our offices or book an appointment with Z Urology to discuss. Having a urologist can help in your treatment of BPH. If you think this is an issue, don’t delay. Instead, pick up the phone and call Z Urology, with offices in South Florida. Call today!
We provide state-of-the-art urologic care in the South Florida area with a focus on both male and female urology. Our practice specializes in all urologic procedures, specifically, minimally invasive methods. Our three locations to choose from are located in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs and Pompano Beach.
We at “Z” specialize in bladder issues, erectile dysfunction (ED), prostate issues, urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, stone disease, BPH, male infertility, pyeloplasty, Peyronie’s disease, and ureteral reimplantation.
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