Prostate Cancer Care at Levine Cancer

If you or someone you love has prostate cancer, you deserve the best possible care. Atrium Health Levine Cancer is home to some of the nation’s top prostate cancer specialists. Our experts use the latest techniques and technologies to diagnose and treat prostate cancer, giving you the best chance of a happier, healthier tomorrow. And with more than 25 locations across the Carolinas, we bring world-class cancer care closer to you.

Why choose Levine Cancer?

• Prostate cancer specialists. Our prostate cancer patients are cared for by fellowship-trained urologic oncologists. These doctors received years of extra training in treating diseases like prostate cancer. While some urologists treat many different conditions, our team is solely dedicated to helping cancer patients like you.
• A team approach. At Levine Cancer, you’ll have a comprehensive team by your side. This group of experts includes prostate cancer surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, geneticists and more. They’ll meet regularly to discuss your condition and work together to create a custom treatment plan just for you.
• Proven experience. We help hundreds of prostate cancer patients every year. We have some of the region’s highest volumes for both local and metastatic prostate cancers. We also treat rare prostate cancers like small cell prostate cancer and sarcomas in the prostate. Our deep experience allows us to choose the most effective therapies for your specific condition.

Prostate cancer diagnosis

Prostate cancer happens when cells in the prostate grow uncontrollably. Doctors often screen for prostate cancer using a prostate-specific antigen test (PSA). This test checks for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen, an indicator of prostate cancer, in your blood.

Doctors might also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) where they feel the prostate to see if it is swollen or an irregular shape.

If these tests show anything abnormal, additional tests may include:

• Transrectal ultrasound, where doctors use a small probe to bounce sound waves off the prostate to create an image. Then they examine this image for signs of prostate cancer like an abnormal shape or size.
• Biopsy, where doctors take a small sample of tissue from the prostate and look for cancer cells under a microscope.
• MRI ultrasound fusion and MRI fusion biopsy, where doctors use an ultrasound to examine prostate tumors. Traditionally, doctors take photos of tumors through an MRI and then take samples of the tumor based on where the tumor is in the picture. With fusion technology, doctors can instead see tumors and take samples in real-time. This allows them to target cancer more accurately and often take fewer tissue samples. Levine Cancer is one of only a handful of facilities in our region with this technology.

Genetic counseling for prostate cancer

While doctors don’t know exactly what causes prostate cancer, certain factors are linked to increased risk. About 5 to 10% of prostate cancers are hereditary, meaning genes that run in your family can lead to cancer.

Genetic counseling can help you find out if your genes raise your risk of prostate cancer and make informed decisions about your health. If you have prostate cancer, genetic tests may change or influence your treatment plan.

Learn more about Levine Cancer's Cancer Genetics program.

Your treatment options

Our experts will help you understand your treatment options and create a plan that gives you the best chance of a good outcome. We also take steps to preserve sexual and urinary function. Your prostate cancer treatment options may include:

• Active surveillance: If you have low-risk, slow-growing prostate cancer, your doctor may suggest waiting to start aggressive treatments. Instead, they’ll start a care plan called “active surveillance,” where you'll have regular checkups so we can closely monitor your tumor’s growth. Then, if anything changes, your doctor will talk to you about your treatment options.
• Chemotherapy: This treatment, often called chemo, uses powerful medications to shrink or kill cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy: Testosterone speeds up prostate cancer’s growth, so reducing testosterone can slow the disease. Hormone therapy lowers the amount of testosterone or stops the body from making it.
• Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses doses of energy to kill cancer cells. We offer a few types of radiation therapy for prostate cancer, including external beam radiation, brachytherapy and systemic radiation therapy.
  • Brachytherapy: Doctors implant tiny, radioactive seeds in the prostate. These seeds are strategically placed to target tumors and prevent exposing healthy tissues to radiation. This is an outpatient procedure. and most patients go home the same day of treatment.
  • External beam radiation: Doctors use high-energy rays to kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing.
  • Systemic radiation therapy: During this treatment, a radioactive drug (or radiopharmaceutical) is given through an IV. The medication travels through the body to target cancer cells.
• Robotic prostatectomy: Some patients need a prostatectomy, a minimally invasive procedure to remove the prostate. Our surgeons use robot-assisted techniques for nearly all prostatectomies, which are less invasive and more precise than traditional prostate surgery. Robotic prostate surgery usually allows for a shorter hospital stay, faster return to normal activities and a better chance of preserving urinary and sexual function.

Clinical trials

Levine Cancer offers the latest and most innovative clinical trials. This gives you access to the most promising diagnostic tools and treatments before they’re widely available.

Learn more about our prostate cancer clinical trials.

Cancer support and survivorship programs

Cancer care can be overwhelming for you and your family. That’s why we offer many resources to help you stay well during and after treatment, including:

• Individual and group counseling to help you keep a positive outlook.
• Nurse navigators who can help you with everything from understanding your diagnosis to arranging transportation.
• Integrative oncology services that promote wellness through services like acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga and more.
• Nutritional support from registered dietitians who can help you find foods that keep your body strong during treatment and recovery.
• Survivorship services that help you thrive long-term by addressing the issues you face after successful cancer treatment.

Learn more about our cancer support and survivorship programs.