Irving, Texas – July18, 2019 – After a prostate cancer diagnosis, doctors will always want to know if it is aggressive and how far it has spread. A staging system helps the cancer care team to understand how far cancer has spread in a patient. The stage informs how fast the cancer is growing and how advanced it is. The most commonly used staging system is the TNM staging system which uses a number system when staging. However, newer methods have been invented to help in the staging for prostate cancer.

“Determining the stage of prostate cancer helps oncologists to develop a treatment plan for each case,” explained Dr. Echt. “Most doctors use the staging system after several imaging tests such as PET, CT, and MRI, although some cannot detect all the areas with cancer."

Here are some of the new methods for prostate cancer staging:

• Multiparametric MRI – This is a new method that can help to determine how aggressive prostate cancer might be and the extent to which it has spread. A standard MRI is performed on the patient followed by another type of MRI, such as a dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), or an MR spectroscopy. The results of the other different scans are considered.

• A new type of PET scan that uses radioactive carbon acetate can also help to detect prostate cancer in various parts of the body. It can also help to determine if a patient’s treatment is working. The technique is still being studied.

• Enhanced MRI – This is a newer method that can help find lymph nodes that have cancer cells. Patients will undergo the standard MRI first and then late be injected with tiny magnetic particles that will stay in their body until they have another scan the following day. The differences between the two scans will show whether there are cancer cells in the lymph nodes. Enhanced MRI is not yet widely used, but its early results are promising. More research is needed before it is released.

“In some men, their prostate cancer is aggressive while in others it grows slowly,” continued Dr. Echt. “It is good to get regular screenings and have your cancer staged and treated before it advances.”

About The Prostate Seed Institute

The Prostate Seed Institute is one of the country’s leading pioneers in prostate cancer treatment including prostate seed implementation, a fast and painless procedure that effectively treats prostate cancer in its earliest stages. With a team of oncology experts and a state-of-the-art facility, the Prostate Seed Institute provides prostate cancer patients with the most comprehensive treatment available.

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