PROSTATE CANCER

Course overview

WORLDWIDE, PROSTATE CANCER IS THE MOST COMMONLY DIAGNOSED MALIGNANCY AND THE SIXTH LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH IN MEN. DIAGNOSIS IS PRIMARILY BASED ON PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (PSA) TESTING, MRI SCANS, AND PROSTATE TISSUE BIOPSIES, ALTHOUGH PSA TESTING FOR SCREENING REMAINS CONTROVERSIAL. NEW DIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDING RISK STRATIFICATION BIOASSAY TESTS, GERMLINE TESTING, AND VARIOUS PET SCANS ARE NOW AVAILABLE. WHEN THE CANCER IS LIMITED TO THE PROSTATE, IT IS CONSIDERED LOCALIZED AND POTENTIALLY CURABLE. IF THE DISEASE HAS SPREAD OUTSIDE THE PROSTATE, BISPHOSPHONATES, RANK LIGAND INHIBITORS, HORMONAL TREATMENT, CHEMOTHERAPY, RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS, IMMUNOTHERAPY, FOCUSED RADIATION, AND OTHER TARGETED THERAPIES CAN BE USED. THIS ACTIVITY IS A CURRENT, COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE CANCER AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.