Question 1

At what age should I start prostate cancer screening?

Accepted Answer

Current guidelines recommend that men discuss screening with their doctor starting at age 50 for average risk men, age 45 for men at higher risk (African American men and men with a first degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65), and age 40 for men at the highest risk (multiple first degree relatives with early prostate cancer). If you are unsure when to start, call our office and we can help you think through your individual risk factors.

Question 2

What if my biopsy shows cancer?

Accepted Answer

If cancer is found, we send the tissue for Decipher genomic testing, which analyzes the molecular biology of your specific cancer to assess how aggressive it is and how likely it is to spread. This information, combined with your biopsy results, MRI findings, and PSA data, helps us recommend the most appropriate next step. For many men, that next step is active surveillance rather than immediate treatment.

Question 3

What is active surveillance?

Accepted Answer

Active surveillance is a structured monitoring program for men with low risk prostate cancer. Rather than proceeding directly to surgery or radiation, we monitor the cancer closely with regular PSA checks, repeat MRIs, and periodic biopsies as needed. The goal is to avoid or delay treatment and its potential side effects for men whose cancer is unlikely to cause harm in their lifetime. Approximately one quarter of our prostate cancer patients are managed with active surveillance, and many of these men never require treatment.

Question 4

What are the treatment options if I do need treatment?

Accepted Answer

We offer and coordinate the full range of prostate cancer treatments. Robotic prostatectomy using the da Vinci surgical system is performed by our high volume surgeons at Emplify Health (Bellin). We also work closely with independent radiation oncologists and the Emplify system to offer external beam radiation therapy and HDR (high dose rate) brachytherapy. For select patients, we offer cryotherapy (freezing of the prostate) as both a primary treatment and as salvage therapy for recurrent cancer. We are the only practice in the region to provide cryotherapy and have treated several hundred patients. Your treatment recommendation will be individualized based on your cancer grade, stage, anatomy, age, health, and personal priorities through a shared decision making process with your care team.

Question 5

How experienced are your surgeons with robotic prostatectomy?

Accepted Answer

Our urologists have performed over 2,000 robotic prostatectomies combined using the da Vinci surgical system. We are a high volume prostate cancer surgery center, and volume is one of the most important predictors of surgical outcomes. Each procedure takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, and most patients go home the following morning.

Question 6

What if my cancer comes back or progresses?

Accepted Answer

We manage the entire spectrum of prostate cancer, from initial screening through advanced disease. If cancer recurs after treatment or progresses to metastatic disease, our team manages all phases of care, including androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), advanced androgen blockade, bone health management, and immunotherapy. We are the only practice in the region to offer Provenge (sipuleucel T) therapy and have treated numerous patients with this immunotherapy. We coordinate closely with medical oncology and radiation oncology, but your care remains centered in our office with a dedicated team experienced in both castrate sensitive and castrate resistant metastatic prostate cancer.

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