At Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine, we diagnose and treat prostate cancer with the most sophisticated imaging techniques, diagnostics, and therapies available. Our multidisciplinary team sees approximately 1,000 new prostate cancer patients a year.
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer for males in the U.S.—1 in 8 will develop it during their lifetime. Owing to advances in early diagnosis and effective treatments, most people diagnosed with prostate cancer have a better chance of survival.
Most patients begin to suspect they have prostate cancer after obtaining an elevated PSA level or an abnormal digital rectal examination. The PSA blood test measures the level of prostate-specific antigen in the blood.
Physicians will decide which patients with high PSA levels need biopsies. They also determine which prostate cancer patients need localized treatments for the prostate and nearby tissues, such as surgery or radiation.
Why Choose Siteman
Siteman Cancer Center holds recognition as one of the highest-ranked cancer institutes by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), among peer organizations and by other leading authorities, consistently achieving the highest rankings for cancer care regionally, nationally, and around the globe.
Siteman has led the field in the development of genomic testing for personalized, targeted treatment. We were the first institution to sequence the DNA of a cancer patient. Today, our patients’ genetic information gives us even more insights into their cancer. This helps us better meet every patient’s unique treatment needs.
WashU Medicine researchers investigated DNA-based cancer treatments and began the first clinical trial of a “neoantigen” DNA vaccine for metastatic prostate cancer. This vaccine targets the unique mutations in each patient’s tumor to help the immune system fight these mutations.
Expert Physicians
Our WashU Medicine physicians at Siteman Cancer Center pioneered the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as a tool for early prostate cancer detection. As laboratory technology has improved, they can better identify which patients with high PSA levels are more likely to have aggressive prostate cancer.
They also conducted the world’s largest single-institution prostate cancer screening study with more than 32,000 men and led the NCI-funded PLCO cancer screening trial, which evaluated genetic data from 80,000 men.
Accurate, Customized Diagnostic Techniques
WashU Medicine physicians at Siteman use cutting-edge tests to check each patient’s level of risk and ensure that they receive the correct diagnosis.
We pride ourselves on our advanced use of imaging to assess patient risk, and often pair MRI scans with biopsies to ensure that we find the worst part of the cancer. In fact, we are one of the few centers in the U.S. that have published a number of studies demonstrating the benefit of prostate MRIs as a diagnostic tool. We also have trials for leading-edge imaging methods, such as PSMA and other PET/CT scanning techniques.
WashU Medicine urologists are also working to pair imaging with biomarker tests for maximum accuracy. Biomarkers are traces of disease that can be present in the blood or urine. They assist physicians in gauging the severity of your prostate cancer and can potentially predict how different therapies will work for you. Investigators at Siteman are developing novel “liquid biopsy” tests to determine which patients will respond best to certain prostate cancer drugs.
A Siteman care coordinator is the fastest path to referral, consult, or second opinion. Our care coordinators – oncology nurses who help with scheduling and navigation – will guide you from your first call.
Low-Intervention Treatment Options
WashU Medicine urologists at Siteman know that not every patient with prostate cancer needs treatment. Instead, doctors can carefully track some patients with lower-risk prostate cancer. We call this type of close monitoring active surveillance.
In other patients with prostate cancer, it isn’t necessary to remove the entire prostate. The newest advance in prostate cancer care is focal therapy, which is a method of treating the prostate cancer tumor without major surgery. Focal therapy may involve removing only the cancerous part of the prostate, freezing the tumor, or shrinking the tumor with high-intensity ultrasound.
Radiation therapy can also cure prostate cancer instead of surgery. WashU Medicine physicians at Siteman excel in these techniques.
Innovative Surgeries
For patients needing prostate removal, WashU Medicine surgeons and urologists excel in a nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. This method protects surrounding nerves during the operation. This procedure helps preserve normal urination and sexual function.
WashU Medicine surgeons excel in robotic, laparoscopic, and open (or conventional) prostate removal. They have completed thousands of prostate operations, which makes our team one of the most experienced in the United States. Patients who come to Siteman generally have higher rates of cure and improved physical well-being.
Clinical Trials
WashU Medicine physicians at Siteman are actively involved in clinical trials for prostate cancer. They investigate new technology for accurately diagnosing and effectively treating the disease. Getting your prostate cancer treated at Siteman offers you new diagnostic and treatment options. These methods may be as effective or even better than standard therapies found elsewhere.
As prostate cancer treatment continues to evolve, it is important for you to receive care at a cancer center that offers all treatment options. Siteman offers FDA-approved medications and treatments. They also provide access to the latest therapies for prostate cancer through clinical trials.
Clinical trials are research studies that help us find new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. If you have a rare or complex diagnosis or your treatment path seems uncertain, you might qualify for a clinical trial.
Our team will help you find a study that is right for you. Call us to speak with a Siteman care coordinator.
Holistic Care at Siteman
At Siteman, we understand that excellent cancer care takes a personal touch. Our experienced nurses are specially trained to support cancer patients and will help you cope with your symptoms, treatments, and side effects. We have registered dietitians on staff who can provide guidance about nutrition and suggest ideas for meals and snacks that will taste good as you move through your treatment plan.
In addition, patients and family members who desire mental health care can receive free treatment from our team of skilled cancer psychologists. Social workers are also available to meet with patients.
Our Siteman care coordinators – oncology-trained nurses who help with scheduling, finding the right specialist, and guidance – can help you through the process.
Call us directly or submit a form, and we will call you back.
