Three New Developments in Prostate Cancer Care
The goal of PEN’s TelemEDucation Empowerment Resource Center is to significantly improve Prostate Cancer patients’ and caregivers’ familiarity with remote access to healthcare, and thus increase quality of care regardless of geographical location.
This one-of-a-kind resource center is intended to educate the prostate cancer community on the practical usage of telemedicine tools, to humanize patient and provider experiences.
With the emergence of telemedicine in the prostate cancer care toolbox, we have published our Patient Empowerment Network (PEN) Telemedicine Specialized Care Directory, Prostate Cancer Edition and Directorio de Atención Especializada de Telemedicina: Edición del cáncer de próstata in both English and Spanish for prostate cancer patients and care partners. The downloadable and printer-friendlt information-packed guides contain valuable resources for navigating prostate cancer with the assistance of telemedicine including:
- Telemedicine videos with prostate cancer expert Dr. Heather Cheng
- Advice for connecting to specialized prostate cancer care
- Resources to locate and evaluate doctors
- Information about mobile-optimized tools, artificial intelligence (AI), next-generation sequencing, and telegenetic consultations
For prostate cancer patients and care partners who can learn optimally in Spanish, these individuals have an additional option. The telemedicine resources are also provided in Spanish for learning more about telemedicine care.
Now here’s a look at the summary of latest developments in prostate cancer care.
What are the latest developments in prostate cancer, and how can patients and care partners be assisted in navigating their journeys through care? In the “New Developments in Prostate Cancer Care” program, expert Dr. Heather Cheng from Seattle Cancer Care Alliance shares three key developments in prostate cancer care. These developments were presented at one of the top annual meetings of oncologists – the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2022 annual meeting.
1. Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment for Early Stages
Prostate cancer researchers are studying the results of using advanced prostate cancer combination treatments for patients in earlier stages. The approach uses the theory that the drug combinations will be even more effective when they used earlier in disease progression and before patients have become very sick. Immunotherapy is one of the treatments under study in combination treatments earlier in progression of prostate cancer. With immunotherapy, a patient’s own immune system is harnessed and used to fight against cancer.
2. Precision Oncology
Precision oncology is a research development to use tailored therapy for prostate cancer treatments. An array of key factors are examined to tailor treatment for optimal patient care, including factors like cancer genetics, patient genetics, overall health, co-morbidities, and possibly others. In using the more personalized therapy, prostate cancer patients should experience a higher quality of life during treatment and improved health outcomes.
3. Targeted Radiation Therapies
Targeted radiation therapies and a new treatment called lutetium (Pluvicto) take a more focused treatment approach that avoids damage to non-cancer cells. With lutetium, the treatment seeks out cells that express the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). If PSMA is expressed, lutetium treatment attacks those cells and bypasses healthy cells where PSMA is not expressed.
By staying updated on the latest developments in prostate cancer care, patients and care partners can gain knowledge and confidence to talk with their doctors about care that may be best for them or for their loved one. If you want to expand your knowledge, check out our prostate cancer information.
