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Prostate Cancer
UCLA Advantages
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in men and usually begins without symptoms. The prostate cancer survival rate is greatly improved with early detection and treatment. UCLA’s Prostate Cancer Program offers the latest and most advanced care for both early and late stage prostate cancer. Our faculty are fellowship trained in urologic oncology and have been consistently ranked among the top prostate cancer practitioners in the United States . UCLA urologists have been pioneers in developing new innovations and technologies leading to safer and more effective treatments for patients.
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| Advanced Imaging Techniques Improve Prostate Cancer Care (PDF) |
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| Download and Print Prostate Cancer Brochure (PDF) |
For early stage, localized prostate cancer, we offer the entire spectrum of treatments, including:
- Nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (RRP)
- Robotically-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (rLRP)
- Laparoscopic prostatectomy (LRP)
- Brachytherapy
- Cryotherapy
For patients with slow-growing tumors and in older patients with more serious health conditions, UCLA offers the option of Active Surveillance.
UCLA’s prostate cancer survival rates and measurements of treatment efficacy, including surgical margins and the lowest recordable PSA value, are among the best in the nation. Therefore, we monitor our results closely with outcomes databases and studies regarding the quality of life our patients achieve after prostate cancer treatment in order to improve the quality of our care and in order to better inform patients about the risk and benefits of all treatments.
Because of the extensive basic and translational research done at UCLA in prostate cancer, we are actively studying new forms of treatment for patients with high-risk, locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancers. These include studies of molecularly targeted small molecules and antibodies, the latest in drugs that are able to target the genetic changes in an individual's tumors while sparing normal tissues. We are also on the leading edge of studies of nutrition and alternative medicines for prostate cancer.
The UCLA Prostate Cancer Program is the only program in Southern California and one of only three programs in the western U.S to be designated a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) by the National Cancer Institute. With this distinction, UCLA earned an $11.5 million grant to enhance the program's ability to integrate laboratory and clinical researchers in a joint effort to improve detection, treatment and prevention of prostate cancer.
The Prostate Cancer Program includes internationally regarded researchers. Basic science research conducted by Robert Reiter, MD, Director of the UCLA Prostate Cancer Program, led to the discovery of Prostate Stem Cell Antigen (PSCA), a gene found more extensively in cancerous prostate cells than in normal prostate cells. Dr. Reiter's research is now focusing on the development of PSCA monoclonal antibodies to prevent tumors from growing or spreading to other parts of the body, and shows great promise in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Targeted Prostate Biopsy using MR-Ultrasound Fusion  A new research study at UCLA aims to re-define prostate cancer significance through clinical validation of a tool which allows 3D visualization and tracking of the prostate. View Webcast » Prostate Biopsy: Targeted Biopsy Using MR-Ultrasound Fusion » |
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Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery |
Another research project for prostate cancer treatment is based on the discovery by former UCLA researcher Charles Sawyers M.D. of the role a specific gene, PTEN, plays in blocking the growth of tumors. The study, which is in the clinical trials stage and is the only one of its kind in the world, is based on the use of an immunosuppressive drug approved for kidney transplant patients and may prove beneficial for high risk patients with localized prostate cancer.
The UCLA Prostate Cancer Index, developed by Mark Litwin, M.D., M.P.H., has become the gold standard worldwide in measuring outcomes and quality of life in prostate cancer survivors, and is now in use in over 200 studies throughout North America. In 2001, the State of California acknowledged UCLA's leadership in the fight against prostate cancer by awarding the Department of Urology $50 million to administer IMPACT, a statewide prostate cancer awareness and treatment program targeting uninsured men.
UCLA is committed to rapidly translating basic research from the laboratory to the clinic in order to advance care for men with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is a disease that, when diagnosed and treated early, is highly curable - and one for which there are many different treatment options, each with its own pros and cons when it comes to efficacy and quality of life impact. UCLA is among the nation's most active centers for prostate cancer treatment, and few centers are as comprehensive as UCLA’s Prostate Cancer Program, which not only offers the full spectrum of treatment options, but also integrates research with clinical care.
Our overriding philosophy is that no one treatment is appropriate for all individuals and that treatments need to be tailored to the disease and to the individual's own values and goals.
Overview
Prostate cancer is marked by an uncontrolled (malignant) growth of cells in the prostate gland.
The prostate is the walnut-sized gland in men, located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum, surrounding the urethra – the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. The prostate produces and stores fluid that helps to make semen, and is involved in regulating bladder control.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States , and the second-leading cause of cancer death, following lung cancer. It tends to be slow-growing, such that many men die of other diseases before the prostate cancer causes problems – in fact, autopsy studies have shown that upwards of three-fourths of men 80 and older have prostate cancer, though many were not diagnosed before the man died. The American Cancer Society estimates that one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetimes, but only one in 35 will die of the disease. However, certain prostate cancers are more aggressive and can quickly spread outside the confines of the prostate gland, which can be lethal. Early detection can ensure successful treatment. Overall, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer is now up to 92 percent, in large part because of earlier diagnosis.
Types of Prostate Cancer
- Adenocarcinoma: The vast majority (95 percent) of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas. An adenocarcinoma is a malignant cancer that starts in the cells lining the ducts and tubes of a glandular organ. Prostate adenocarcinomas are the second most common malignant cell growth found in men over 65.
- The remainder of the other cell types in the prostate that can become cancerous include “small cell” prostate cancers, squamous cell prostate cancers, and other rare cell types. These usually require aggressive treatment.
Incidence - Risk Factors
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| Prostate Cancer Support Group » |
| Clinical Update: |
| Do all men with prostate cancer need surgery or radiation therapy? |
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Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009 about 192, 280 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2009 and 27,360 men will die of prostate cancer in the United States. About 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. More than 2 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today.
Certain people are at higher risk than others for prostate cancer, which may affect when they should start being screened. The risk increases with age, particularly after age 50. Some risk factors include:
- African American men are twice as likely as white men to develop the disease.
- Having a family history – a father or a brother diagnosed with prostate cancer, particularly if it is at a relatively early age – increases the risk.
- High-fat diet and/or obesity
- Smoking
- A sedentary lifestyle
Conversely, there may be measures to aid in the prevention of prostate cancer and that can reduce risk, including diets low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and whole fibers. Foods with high amounts of the antioxidant lycopene – such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and watermelon – may help to lower the risk, as can regular exercise. 5 alpha reductase inhibitor medications can reduce a person’s risk for prostate cancer by 25%. Other prevention strategies are being studied.
