Follow-up to Treatment

After your treatment is rendered, regardless of which treatment is undertaken, we will be following your progress very closely. If surgery or observation is chosen, the follow-up will be through our office. If radiation or implants are used, the follow-up will be shared by our office and the radiation therapists.

The keys to follow-up in most circumstances will be the rectal exam of the prostate, or in the case of surgery, the area where the prostate was. We will be looking for evidence of recurrence or regrowth of the tumor. If suspicious areas occur, ultrasound and biopsies may be indicated.

In addition, the Prostate Specific Antigen or 'PSA' blood test can be used as a marker for the effectiveness of treatment. If the prostate gland is removed (Radical Prostatectomy) we expect the PSA level to be unmeasurable (less than 0.1). If any PSA is measured after Radical Prostatectomy, then the presence of prostate cancer cells somewhere in the body has to be suspected. Prostate cancer cells that have spread to other areas also leak PSA. Even if we cannot find the areas of spread with scans or other tests, the presence of PSA means that the cancer is present.

IF the treatment of the cancer was with any form of radiation, chemotherapy or hormone therapy, the PSA level will not necessarily become unmeasurable. The normal prostate cells may not be destroyed and may still leak normal amounts of PSA. However, the PSA level should be stable if the treatment is working. That means a rising PSA level suggests growth of the cancer.

In summary, all the treatments discussed above are appropriate and acceptable. Perhaps, some more than others in certain situations. This handout is an outline of the important points of each treatment. More than likely you will have other questions to be answered. Some of the terminology may not make sense. You may have heard of other treatments for cancer that might be applicable. We expect to be able to discuss all these questions with you in further detail.