New Scanning Technique To Detect Prostate Cancer – Raj Talks To The Mail

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Men with suspected prostate cancer could be spared painful and risky needle biopsy tests thanks to a new scanning technique that can detect tumours just as accurately, a new study has found.

Currently, if doctors believe a man is suffering symptoms that indicate the disease, he will first be offered a blood test that looks for raised levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the prostate gland.

Proessor Raj Persad, consultant urologist at North Bristol NHS Trust who took part in the study at Southmead Hospital, said:

‘Accurate treatment of prostate cancer depends on accurate diagnosis, but PSA levels can vary widely and are affected by prostate size, age, recent surgery, how recently a man has had sex, and even cycling, so they are a very inaccurate guide.

And a TRUS biopsy effectively takes tissue samples at random, and so may miss a cancer entirely so we may give a patient the all-clear when they actually have a clinically significant cancer.’

Read the full article on the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4591456/New-scan-helps-men-avoid-risky-painful-prostate-biopsy

New State-Of-The-Art Prostate Diagnostic Service

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A new state-of-the-art prostate diagnostic service involving multi-parametric MRI scans is now available at Bristol Urology Associates and South West Andrology.

Men with suspected prostate cancer could benefit from less invasive testing

Following a recent Internationally reputed study it has been revealed that men with suspected prostate cancer could benefit from less invasive testing. The PROMIS (Prostate MRI Imaging Study) found that up to a quarter of men could avoid undergoing an invasive biopsy if they had an MRI scan first. There are no signs and symptoms in early prostate cancer and currently there is no test to diagnose it.

A multi-parametric MRI (MpMRI) scan is able to create an incredibly detailed picture of the prostate and the tissue that surrounds it. This scan also helps to provide useful information about the size and location of any suspected tumours to enable more accurate targeting, doubling the detection rates of any aggressive cancers, if present.

Professor Raj Persad, Consultant Urologist at North Bristol Director of Bristol Urology Associates, said that,

“these findings mean that a group of patients will be able to have one simple, painless scan and avoid need for a biopsy while in others we will be able to better target biopsies in those who still require the procedure to diagnose prostate cancer.’ This is a major advance that goes hand in hand with all the other technologies we are developing to make cancer diagnosis and treatment more precise.”

Prof Persad continued,

“patients who may be suitable for an mpMRI scan usually have an elevated PSA or another cause for worry such as a strong family history of prostate cancer. They need to be referred to a Consultant Urologist, who specialises in fdetermining who needs an mpMRI and who doesn’t, as there is further clinical information needed before planning a scan”.

The MRI scanner we use in Bristol is a powerful and accurate one and appointments are available with no waiting list and rapid turnaround of scan results. These results will be interpreted by Prof Persad and his colleagues to determine the necessity of biopsies of the prostate and any follow-on treatment that may be necessary. Using this scanning technique we will be able to reduce the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies by up to 30%.

If the MRI shows an abnormality in the prostate this can be accurately targeted with safe and sophisticated transperineal (through the skin of the perineum) biopsies which produce less pain and less risk of sepsis and sexual dysfunction than traditional transrectal biopsies.

The traditional pathway was ‘blind’ biopsy of the prostate using transrectally guided prostate biopsy needles

Until the recent PROMIS trial in which Professor Persad was one of the main investigators, the standard pathway was ‘blind’ biopsy of the prostate using transrectally guided prostate biopsy needles, for anyone with an elevated PSA. This type of biopsy was recognised to cause a significant chance of pain, infection and intra-prostatic trauma and bleeding whilst being poor in accuracy in diagnosing the main index lesion. The greater trauma involved with type of biopsy can also cause marked sexual dysfunction. Now we are generally able to do less but more accurately placed biopsies. The consequence is less trauma and sexual dysfunction, more accuracy in diagnosis and the ability to avoid biopsy in a significant number of patients with unsuspicious MRI scans of the prostate.

For more information contact South West Andrology or Bristol Urology Associates 0117 980 4118

Da Vinci Robotic Prostatectomy

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A minimally invasive surgical procedure, called robotic prostatectomy, uses finely controlled robotic instruments to perform the prostatectomy safely, while enhancing patient recovery and outcome.

The da Vinci Surgical System, surgeons operate through just a few small incisions. The da Vinci System features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system and tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human hand. As a result, da Vinci enables your surgeon to operate with enhanced vision, precision and control.

Watch the video to find out more about the benefits of this surgery.

Raj Talks To The Mail About A Urine Test That Can Help Doctors Spot Signs Of Prostate Cancer
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Prostate Cancer is the most common form of cancer found in men in Britain, with 50,000 new cases diagnosed every year.

In Britain, prostate cancer claims 10,000 lives each year. The disease is difficult to spot early on, as symptoms tend to develop only when the tumour has grown large enough to put pressure on the urethra – causing pain when urinating and frequent, urgent trips to the lavatory. This is when men may first go to their GP with a problem.

Scientists claim that the simple but highly accurate urine test for prostate cancer could prevent 41 per cent of unnecessary invasive biopsies. Men become eligible for the test if they have been identified as being at risk

Professor Raj Persad, consultant urologist at the North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol Urology Associates and South West Andology, says:

‘The challenges in prostate-cancer diagnosis include finding a test which is accurate enough so that only patients with potentially significant disease go forward for biopsy.’

‘If a non-invasive liquid biopsy can help minimise biopsies, this will be a great contribution.

‘If this new test is more accurate at picking up clinically significant cancers, it could be offered as a screening test for prostate cancer.’

He added:

‘This will need more rigorous clinical testing.

Read the full story on the Daily Mail

View our services page about how we can help men with prostate cancer.

The UroLift System for treating an enlarged prostate

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The UroLift® System treatment is a minimally invasive approach to treating an enlarged prostate, or BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), that lifts or holds the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way so it no longer blocks the urethra. There is no cutting, heating or removal of prostate tissue.

The UroLift System is an alternative for patients looking for something other than drug therapy or more invasive surgery.

Watch the video for more information about how it works. Please view our prostate services page for how we can help with prostate disease.