Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among men, usually growing slowly and remaining in the prostate gland. A man’s risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age, most common in men 65 and older. A family history of prostate cancer and obesity are other risk factors. If detected early, there are many prostate cancer treatment options, including proton therapy for prostate cancer.

Symptoms of prostate cancer tend to appear in the early stages. If you experience one or more of these symptoms for more than two weeks, see your doctor. These symptoms may include:

In order to test for prostate cancers, physicians may complete a digital rectal exam (DRE) in which the prostate is physically examined for irregularities in texture, size, or shape via the rectum, which is adjacent to the prostate. Your physician may also complete a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, in which a blood sample is collected and analyzed for PSA, a substance naturally produced by the prostate gland. If a higher than normal level of PSA is found, it may indicate various prostate issues, including cancer. After completing these tests, a doctor may recommend an ultrasound or a prostate biopsy to determine whether or not cancer is present.

Although prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in American men, the survival rate is high if detected and treated early in its development. That’s where proton therapy comes in. Proton therapy for prostate cancer targets specific treatment areas, allowing higher doses to be administered with fewer side effects and little impact to the surrounding healthy organs and tissues. In fact, with proton therapy, a 5 percent recurrence rate can be reached for prostate cancer, with just a 12 percent chance of complications and acute side effects. Compare that to traditional x-ray therapy, in which a 20 percent recurrence rate also means a 60 percent chance of complications and acute side effects. Researchers report that 99% (low risk), 94% (intermediate risk) and 74% (high risk) of men treated with proton therapy have no signs of cancer recurrence after five years of follow-up.

Proton therapy is non-invasive and patients will be able to remain in one position during treatment time. Due to proton therapy’s targeted approach, studies have found that prostate cancer patients treated using this method have a significantly reduced risk of impotence, with 94% of men reporting that they remain sexually active after treatment.

With proton therapy, the rectum and bladder receive much less radiation compared to traditional radiation. Men treated with proton therapy have a very low risk of long-term side effects, such as incontinence and bowel damage. With traditional radiation, more healthy tissue around the tumor receives radiation. The extra dose to healthy tissue from x-ray therapy is equivalent to smoking four packs of cigarettes a day for a year. In the interactive chart above, the gray/white areas indicate no radiation exposure, while the colored areas indicate radiation exposure.