Advanced PET-CT Scan for the Correct Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer, a common cancer in males develops in the prostate gland. Although slow-growing, the cancer is the major cause of mortality in males and accounts for almost 10% of such deaths. The cancer, often shows no symptoms in the early stages. Therefore, it is necessary to get screened to detect the changes that may indicate Prostate cancer get proper prostate cancer treatment.

The screening for the cancer involves a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test. The test measures the levels of this antigen in the blood. High levels of this antigen in the blood suggests the presence of Prostate cancer in males. Males with this type of cancer experience signs & symptoms like urge for frequent urination (especially at night), blood in the urine or semen, painful urination.

What happens in Prostate cancer?

The Prostate cancer starts to develop with certain changes in the glandular cells of the body. Particularly, changes in the prostate gland and the changes are known as Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia (PIN). At first, the changes are slow & less significant. However, as the cancer progresses, the changes are more aggressive & evident.

What are the risk factors of Prostate cancer?

Prostate Cancer Treatment:

The type of Prostate cancer treatment will depend on the stage of the cancer. Being aware of the stage of cancer by regular screening help the person to understand what to expect during the Prostate cancer treatment and help their doctors make informed decisions about treatment at the right time to increase the chances of survival. Since the prostate gland in males, plays a major role in sexual reproduction. Prostate cancer in a male may affect their fertility in many ways. Also, treatments such as radiation therapy may lead to sperm damage and further reduction in the amount of semen for transporting the sperms. However, various options have been developed for preserving fertility in males with prostate cancer. These options include banking sperm before surgery, extracting sperm directly from the testicles for artificial insemination.

Since cancer develops when normal cells of the body become cancerous, it is necessary to have a technique which detects such changes at cellular level. One such technique known as Positron emission tomography (PET CT scan) utilizes small amounts of radioactive materials, a specialized camera and a computer to examine organ and tissue functions. PET CT Scan helps to identify changes at cellular level and hence, is an effective technique to detect cancer.

In northern India, the Centre for Nuclear Medicine at Sarvodaya Hospital, Faridabad has the most advanced PET CT scan & Gamma Camera facility to effectively detect cancer. These facilities assure the cancer patient of an accurate diagnosis, ultimately leading to a better treatment outcome.