Is prostate cancer common?

Prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in men (15% of all cancers) and the 1st cause of cancer death in men. The average age of diagnosis is 65 years, but 1 in 50 men in their 50s will develop the disease. Despite the fact that nowadays men are routinely screened, the incidence of prostate cancer in men under 50 worldwide has begun to increase by 10% per year.

20% of cancers are in patients with heredity, since the risk doubles with one first-degree relative and 11-fold with two. In fact, directly related genes have also been identified. Obesity, smoking, multiple sexual partners, anabolic steroid abuse, chronic prostatitis, and racial factors (African-American race) appear to be the main risk factors.

Is prostate cancer preventable?

Studies have shown that various foods in our diet seem to protect us, such as antioxidants (isoflavones-lycopene-carotene) contained in tomato, broccoli, green tea, coffee, pomegranate), vitamin E, phytoestrogens ( soy). Also frequent ejaculations have shown benefit. On the contrary, abuse of alcohol, fatty, red meat, dairy products may increase the risk. Large, epidemiological studies show controversial results for the above and thus probably the best prevention is early diagnosis.

How is prostate cancer diagnosed early?

Nowadays, we have in our hands a multitude of tests that will help in the early and accurate diagnosis of the disease. Of course, the history, digital prostate exam, and PSA measurement will be the first important pieces of the puzzle. A man should be examined every year from the age of 50 or from the age of 40 if he has a family history. Multiparametric MRI of the prostate is the best imaging test for the prostate, while a prostate biopsy will give the final answer. Finally, the PSMA-PET scan gives extremely accurate answers regarding the location of the disease and its correct staging and helps in the correct planning of the surgery.

What is the treatment of choice for prostate cancer?

The golden option for the prostate cancer patient is radical prostatectomy, that is, the removal of the entire prostate, seminal vesicles and lymph nodes. Robotic radical prostatectomy is the treatment of choice in 85% of patients in the US and over 80% in Greece. Radical prostatectomy can completely cure the patient, without the need for postoperative radiation therapy or chemotherapy, as long as the operation is performed in the early stages of the disease.

Why should I choose robotic radical prostatectomy?

After 20 years of robotic surgery and over 5,000,000 operations worldwide, robotic surgery is present in urological surgery, especially in prostate cancer. It is the evolution of conventional, simple laparoscopic surgery, in which the surgeon has absolute control over a state-of-the-art robotic surgical system, which transmits its movements digitally and without fear to the patient through holes of a few millimeters. The surgeon sits comfortably and with perfect ergonomics at the special console from which he controls the 4 robotic arms, holding special controls. It has 3D, 15x magnified high definition vision. All of the above enable a surgeon to perform complex operations without fatigue, but above all to be able to respect and protect all the microscopic anatomical structures that are essential for the quality of life, while precisely removing the cancerous tumor.

For the patient, all of the above translates into less internal and external trauma which equates to less surgical stress on their body. Fewer complications and pain, minimal blood loss, 1-2 days hospitalization, faster return to daily work, better cosmetic result, excellent oncological result and better maintenance of erection and urinary continence, the two critical male functions. The man who will undergo a robotic radical prostatectomy, in which all the erectile nerves will be spared, knows that he will be sexually active more than 75% of the time, at least twice what the older methods would achieve.

Also, robotic surgery is constantly evolving and improving. We are talking about 5th generation robots and single-hole robots, with which we perform demanding operations through a small hole in the patient’s abdomen, while we also have augmented reality technologies and 3D anatomical navigation systems.

In conclusion, robotic technology generously provides the experienced surgeon with millimeter precision and skills greater than the human hand, while it also gives proven better results compared to conventional methods, and for this reason it is universally accepted by urologists and patients.