At Main Line Health, we offer comprehensive treatment for prostate cancer. From an accurate diagnosis to advanced radiation therapy techniques, we provide personalized, compassionate care that fits your individual needs.
Diagnosing prostate cancer
Quality care starts with a timely diagnosis. At Main Line Health, we use many diagnostic techniques to detect prostate cancer early, including:
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. This scan uses magnets, not radiation, to produce images of the inside of your body.
- Biopsies of the prostate or pelvic region. During this test, a doctor will take a small sample of your prostate using a needle to be examined for abnormal cells. If needed, this can be done with MRI guidance. And biopsies can be done with a new transperineal technique that has higher accuracy and a lower risk of infection.
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood testing. For PSA testing, your doctor will examine a sample of your blood for a protein that may be present when you have prostate cancer.
- Adjunctive tests. Your doctor may want to evaluate an abnormal PSA test with advanced PSAs such as a 4K score or free/total PSA.
- Transrectal ultrasound. Ultrasounds use radio waves to create images of your organs. In this test, a probe is inserted into the rectum in order to produce images of your prostate.
These tests help our experts identify cancer and determine important information such as how large the tumor(s) is and whether cancer has spread to other areas of your body. This valuable information is used to design a treatment plan that is best for you—whether it is watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy or a combination of treatments.
Prostate cancer treatment options
At Main Line Health, we provide personalized prostate cancer treatment plans using advanced surgical and radiation therapy techniques. We strive to offer less invasive treatments with fewer side effects so you can maintain a higher quality of life throughout your cancer treatment.
Your treatment plan may include the latest prostate cancer treatments, including:
- Robotic prostate surgery – During robotic prostate surgery, your surgeon performs very precise surgery with small incisions to remove the cancer.
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – This type of radiation therapy uses 3D models of your tumors to deliver extremely targeted radiation (high energy beams that destroy cancer) so that healthy cells aren't damaged.
- Stereotactic body radiotherapy – Our advanced equipment allows us to reduce how many radiation therapy treatments you need by delivering high, accurate doses of radiation in single treatments.
- Low-dose-rate brachytherapy – Radioactive "seeds" can be implanted in the prostate. They emit radiation to kill cancer cells from inside your prostate
