A Few Notes on Prostate Cancer with Leigh Erin Connealy, MD & Other Exciting Events!

 

Let’s talk about prostate cancer. While conventional medicine says that any PSA between 1-4 is "normal", at Cancer Center for Healing, we pay close attention to this marker. A change in PSA from 1 to 2, while still within the "normal" range, might be a sign that something is brewing. If your prostate levels have changed recently or within the last few years, I strongly recommend getting checked for other potential cancer markers. We utilize the RGCC test to identify circulating tumor cells within the body. If you have circulating tumor cells, you have cancer. Period. However, I always tell patients that cancer can take 8-10 years to become a detectable tumor. The beauty of the RGCC test is that it is able to detect cancer within the body around year 1, before a tumor has even formed. What does that mean in terms of prostate cancer? If your PSA is rising steadily, don't "watch and wait". Get your circulating tumor cells checked ASAP and your practitioner can help you create a protocol based on the results.

While we try to avoid surgery regardless of the type of cancer, prostate cancer surgery, in particular, can have very serious side effects. Many men are unaware of these potential side effects before going into surgery and do not realize that in many cases, surgery can be avoided. We understand that for some, surgery may be the only option after a certain point, but we believe in educating our patients as much as possible. The earlier we can catch prostate cancer, the less likely surgery will be needed. Remember, even if your PSA is within the normal range of 1-4, any upward change is cause for further investigation (see our previous post). Potential side effects of surgery can include: ·        Urinary Problems: urinary incontinence or the loss of bladder control ·        Erectile Dysfunction: unable to get or maintain an erection Before committing to surgery, be sure to ask your doctor for all the potential side effects and explore an integrative approach to healing your cancer. While not always the case, I find that many of my patients with prostate cancer are able to avoid surgery. As always, we utilize our "4 Pillar Approach to Cancer" to create the most comprehensive, science-based, and personalized cancer treatment protocols for each of our patients. Your Partner in Health, Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy