Prostate cancer screening primarily uses the PSA blood test. MRI is increasingly used for risk stratification and guiding biopsies, especially when PSA is elevated, helping to refine the screening process and reduce unnecessary interventions.
MRI reveals prostate cancer's size, location, and potential spread outside the gland. It helps identify suspicious areas for targeted biopsy and can stage the disease, aiding treatment planning.
Prostate cancer risk categories, from very low to very high, are based on PSA levels, Gleason score, and clinical stage. These categories guide treatment decisions, indicating the cancer's aggressiveness and likelihood of spread, influencing whether active surveillance or aggressive therapy is recommended.
PI-RADS (Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System) scores prostate MRI findings from 1 (very low suspicion) to 5 (very high suspicion) for clinically significant cancer. It standardizes reporting and guides biopsy decisions.
The Miami MAST trial investigates if MRI and targeted biopsies improve prostate cancer risk assessment for men on active surveillance, and explores AI's role in refining MRI precision.
Groups more suitable for prostate cancer screening include men with a strong family history, African American men, and those with specific genetic mutations, due to their elevated risk of developing the disease.
Pros: Early detection can lead to curative treatment. Cons: Overdiagnosis (finding harmless cancers), overtreatment risks side effects (incontinence, ED), and screening can cause significant anxiety.
Focal therapies like HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) use heat, while IRE (Irreversible Electroporation) uses electrical pulses, and cryoablation uses freezing. Each precisely destroys localized prostate tumors while sparing healthy tissue
Prostate cancer screening is important for early detection, which can lead to more effective treatment and improved outcomes for aggressive cancers. It allows for timely intervention, potentially before the cancer spreads and becomes incurable.
PSA Density (PSAD) calculates PSA level divided by prostate volume. A higher PSAD suggests a greater likelihood of cancer, helping differentiate it from benign prostatic enlargement in elevated PSA cases
Screening for Prostate Cancer
Understanding Prostate Biopsy
Pathology of Prostate Cancer
Treatment of Prostate CancerScreening for Prostate CancerUnderstanding Prostate BiopsyPathology of Prostate CancerTreatment of Prostate Cancer
