Lahey Cancer Institute
Clinical experts of Lahey Cancer Institute offer research, training and education in addition to personalized patient care using advanced treatments at locations convenient to you.
Prostate Cancer Care
Expert diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer
Personalized Prostate Oncology Care
Lahey Clinic is known for its advanced prostate cancer program. If your doctor suspects you may have prostate cancer, if you’ve already been diagnosed, or if you have another form of cancer that has metastasized (spread) to the prostate, we’re here for you.
Prostate cancer care typically requires expertise in several medical specialties. Your care team may include urologists from our Institute of Urology’s Prostate Center, as well as Lahey medical and radiation oncologists. You can count on our team to come together to give you a high level of personalized prostate cancer care.
About Prostate Cancer
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system. It’s located in front of the rectum just below the bladder. Prostate cancer is a disease that affects the cells of the prostate gland. If the cells begin to divide when they aren’t supposed to, they can form tumors.
A cancerous tumor inside the gland can block the flow of urine. If the tumor is left untreated, it may spread to nearby lymph nodes and other areas in the body. The cause of the prostate cancer is unknown. A man may have prostate cancer for many years without knowing he has it.
Experts at Lahey pioneered treatments for genitourinary (genital and urinary) cancers, including prostate cancer. With early detection and the right treatment, most men with an early stage of prostate cancer are cured.
Expert Prostate Care
One in six men in the United States will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives, making it the second most common cancer after skin cancer. The good news is that early diagnoses and improved treatments have led to higher survival rates than ever before.
Treating prostate cancer requires a truly individualized approach. Older men with slow-growing tumors may choose not to be treated, since it may be many years before the cancer becomes life-threatening. Men under the age of 70, along with those with aggressive tumors, have a broad range of treatment options to consider.
At Lahey, you can count on a personalized treatment plan and access to the most advanced, innovative therapies for prostate cancer. However, a new treatment may be in the discovery phase of a research study. Ask your doctor if you may qualify for a cancer clinical trial.
More About Prostate Cancer Care
Recommended Prostate Screenings
Physicians in the Prostate Center screen for prostate cancer using:
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests
- Digital rectal exams
If your doctor suspects prostate cancer, they may use transrectal ultrasound to take a biopsy (tissue sample). A close look at your tissue in our laboratory can confirm if malignant (cancerous) cells are present.
Speak with your urologist about general prostate care as well as cancer screenings that are right for you.
Your Experienced Prostate Care Team
In addition to urology and oncology providers, your care team also includes a:
- Registered dietician.
- Behavioral health specialist.
- Physical therapist.
- Personal nurse navigator.
- Sexual and reproductive health specialist.
The team provides dedicated services to ensure you’re coping with your diagnosis in a healthy way. We quickly intervene if you have side effects related to your cancer or treatment. And we can advise you on how to lower your risk of the cancer returning.
Treatments for Prostate Cancer
Men diagnosed with prostate cancer have multiple treatment options at Lahey through regular monitoring is the only care needed.
Surgical Treatment of Prostate Cancer
At Lahey Clinic, robotic radical prostatectomy is the gold standard for surgical treatment of prostate cancer. This minimally invasive approach uses robotic technology to give surgeons greater precision, control, and visibility during the procedure — resulting in less blood loss, a shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery compared to traditional open surgery.
Our surgeons are highly experienced in robotic radical prostatectomy and use advanced techniques specifically designed to protect the tissues responsible for urinary control and sexual function. Preserving these tissues is a top priority, as it plays a major role in a patient's quality of life after surgery.
At Lahey, patients benefit from a team of expert surgeons who perform a high volume of these procedures each year, backed by the resources and technology of a leading academic medical center. Your care team will work closely with you before and after surgery to set realistic expectations, support your recovery, and help you achieve the best possible outcome.
Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
The Lahey Institute of Urology is equipped with a da Vinci Surgical System, a computerized robotic platform that enhances the performance of laparoscopic prostatectomy. During a radical prostatectomy, the surgeon removes the prostate gland and seminal vesicles. Sometimes the surgeon can preserve the nerves responsible for erectile function.
As with traditional laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon operates through tiny incisions in the patient’s abdomen. The da Vinci system serves as extensions of the surgeon’s hands. It translates the surgeon’s hand movements into the precise movement of instruments.
This surgery removes some of the physical challenges posed by traditional laparoscopic surgery. The da Vinci system can improve the surgeon’s ability to see delicate tissues and nerves. It provides a magnified, 3D view of the surgical site. It also increases the surgeon’s dexterity by allowing a complete 360-degree rotation of surgical tools.
The da Vinci system is the only surgical robotic system approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in a radical prostatectomy, as well as a range of other procedures.
Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection
Urologists at the Prostate Center also perform pelvic lymph node dissection. During this procedure, the surgeon removes the regional lymph nodes of the prostate in patients with high-risk prostate cancer.
Radiation Therapy
We offer several types of radiation therapy for prostate cancer, including:
- Low-dose rate (iodine-125 brachytherapy) and high-dose rate brachytherapy: Often used to treat prostate cancer, this procedure uses radioactive pellets that resemble seeds. Placed into the prostate gland, they give off radiation to kill prostate cancer cells.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery: This is a form of radiation therapy focuses high-power energy on a small area of the body. It targets and treats cancerous tissue while minimizing damage to nearby healthy tissue.
- External radiation: This procedure is also called external beam radiation. At Lahey, we have the most up-to-date equipment and experienced radiologists to allow for more precise delivery of the high-energy beams used to kill cancer cells while doing less damage to normal tissues.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy medications have fewer side effects now than in the past. All Lahey infusion units offer enhanced patient comfort and ease of treatment. Family members or friends may stay with you during chemotherapy. Many of our locations provide free television service and free WiFi.
Other Medical Oncology Treatments
Your Prostate Center physician team will work with you to decide which treatment option is best for you. These treatments might be an alternative to (or used along with) surgery:
- Hormone therapy
- Transurethral needle ablation
Cancer Survivorship Clinic
We offer cancer survivors unique services through our multidisciplinary survivorship clinic. This visit provides you and your family with key details about wellness and supportive services. It also gives you access to the latest health-related research on cancer survivorship and ways to prevent a second cancer or your prostate cancer from recurring.
