ONS Connect - September 2008 - (Page 11)

What Is ProstateSpecific Antigen? Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a substance produced by healthy and cancerous prostate cells. Adult men usually have a PSA level lower than 4 ng/ml, but the level can vary with age and may rise with infection, prostate manipulation, and benign prostatic hypertrophy. Some medications, such as finasteride or dutasteride, or herbal preparations may falsely lower the PSA level. PSA may be measured in several ways. • Total PSA measures all PSA in blood. • Free PSA measures PSA that is not bound to protein (a lower free PSA indicates greater likelihood of prostate cancer). • Complexed PSA measures PSA that is bound to other proteins. • PSA velocity or slope measures how fast PSA values rise over a period of time. American Cancer Society. (2007). Can prostate cancer be detected early? Retrieved July 21, 2008, from http://www.cancer .org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_ prostate_cancer_be_found_early_36.asp Tai Ly, RN, MSN, ANP-C, helps ensure that patients seeking proton therapy are suitable candidates who will receive maximum benefits. if they are from out of town because the treatment course may be as long as eight weeks. Nomograms assist in Decision making ONS member Mary A. Schoen, MSN, MPH, NP-C, a nurse practitioner in the Urology Cancer Survivorship Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, NY, says that many services and treatments are available for patients with prostate cancer. “Patients at MSKCC have the options of surgery, brachytherapy, and externalbeam radiation available to them, and the treatments are appropriate for a majority of patients,” Schoen says. Patients are encouraged to meet with surgeons and radiation oncologists to discuss the options. At these initial consultation visits, healthcare practitioners often will review a prostate cancer nomogram with patients. Nomograms are widely used in urology. They are used as clinical prediction tools to assess a patient’s level of risk before making important decisions about treatment modalities. Nomogram algorithms incorporate multiple independent prognostic factors into a math- ematical model to predict outcomes for individual patients. At MSKCC, physicians rely on the Kattan nomogram to help assist patients with treatment decision making. Schoen says that the nomogram helps patients in deciding which of the three major treatment options will result in the greatest benefit and the probability of remaining cancer free. The prediction tool looks at a combination of factors, including cancer stage, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, biopsy pathology, use of hormone therapy, and radiation dosage. In addition, for men who have already had a September 2008 ONS CONNECT 11 http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_prostate_cancer_be_found_early_36.asp http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_prostate_cancer_be_found_early_36.asp http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_3x_can_prostate_cancer_be_found_early_36.asp

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ONS Connect - September 2008

ONS Connect - September 2008 Contents Editor's Note Just In Advances in Prostate Cancer Treatment A Year in the Life - Month Nine Web Connect Capitol Connection Manage Infusion Reactions From Cetuximab Notice Nursing Now Caregiver Care Oropharyngeal Cancer in Men Associated with HPV Working for You Calendar of Events Staying on Top

ONS Connect - September 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.