The Keys to Surviving Prostate Cancer:
Early Detection and Effective Treatments
If prostate cancer is detected while it is still localized to the prostate and is not overly aggressive, treatment is almost 100% curative.
Men develop prostate cancer more than any other cancer. Screening and proper treatment are critical to keeping those men alive. Prostate cancer will affect one in every seven Canadian men. Thankfully, modern testing techniques and treatment breakthroughs continue to improve the prognosis every year.
“If prostate cancer is detected while it is still localized to the prostate and is not overly aggressive, treatment is almost 100% curative,” says Dr. Fred Saad, President of the Canadian Urological Association (CUA). “Almost every man diagnosed with prostate cancer will be alive five years out, which is strikingly different from other cancers.”
That said, prostate cancer remains the third leading cause of cancer death in men. Roughly 21,000 men are diagnosed each year, and over 4,000 die from it. The earlier the disease is detected, the more likely it will respond to treatment. To this end, the CUA recommends that all men undergo screening for prostate cancer by measuring prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood beginning at age 50, and age 45 for those at higher risk. “PSA screening has allowed us to diagnose cancers at a more curable stage than when we only relied on rectal exams, though rectal exams are still very important,” says Dr. Saad. “It’s the combination of both that let us diagnose patients earlier and cure more cancers.”
More options for advanced cancers
Entrepreneur Don Konantz of British Columbia was 48 years old when a kidney infection sent him to the doctor. Cancer was the furthest thing from his mind, but his PSA levels came back high and a prostate biopsy revealed a very aggressive cancer. “It was really alarming how quickly everything progressed and the number of people who became involved,” Don says. “I’d always thought of prostate cancer as something that you died with, not of. But it was clear early on that this was going to be more than a speedbump in my life.”
Don underwent surgery to remove his prostate, but follow-up testing showed that the cancer had already begun to spread, or metastasize, throughout his body. Fortunately, treatments for advanced prostate cancer have dramatically improved the outlook for patients like Don.
“What has changed the most over the last ten years is what we can do for patients who have incurable cancers,” says Dr. Saad. “About fifteen years ago we discovered that we could use chemotherapy to significantly prolong life and delay symptoms. We now also have a new generation of hormonal therapies in pill form that target the hormone receptors and can delay the progression of the disease. These new drugs significantly prolong survival and can substantially improve quality of life. And almost all patients can tolerate this new class of oral treatment, while not every patient can tolerate chemotherapy. This treatment has been on the market for a few years in the metastatic setting, but the most recent results have shown that it can also be of use in non-metastatic patients at high risk of metastases.”
Surviving and thriving with metastatic cancer
Don, who just celebrated his 57th birthday, describes himself as a cancer swimmer rather than a cancer survivor. His cancer remains, but these new oral treatments and other medications have kept him going strong for more than eight years. In that time, he has completed Ironman Canada and walked his eldest daughter down the aisle. Today, while still working and raising his family, he also helps spread awareness with Prostate Cancer Canada.
“Men need to be aware of prostate cancer and get the proper screenings,” says Don. “The testing is very simple, the markers are very clear, and there’s no reason why any man should not be screened. Behind every 60-year-old man dying of prostate cancer is a 50-yearold man who could potentially have been cured if he was tested and diagnosed earlier.”