Expert Prostate Cancer Treatment and Compassionate Care at Compass Oncology
Compass Oncology’s prostate cancer doctors are here to provide expert treatment recommendations and compassionate care at our cancer centers in the Portland and Vancouver region.
Our entire team is dedicated to helping each of our patients choose the right treatment path. When it’s time to start treatment, our oncologists will collaborate with the rest of our team to help you feel supported, informed, and confident throughout your care.
Were You Recently Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer?
If you or someone you know was diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s time to learn about choosing your care team and the treatment options. The prostate cancer specialists at Compass Oncology provide helpful tips for patients when considering their next steps.
Do You Need to Start Prostate Cancer Treatment Right Away?
Because prostate cancer tends to be slow-growing, many men have time to evaluate their options, such as radiation therapy, hormone therapy, surgery, and other treatments that the oncologist feels would be effective. It’s best to meet with the oncologist to discuss your stage and how quickly the cancer is growing. They can tell you whether it’s best to start treatment now or if you can use active surveillance to monitor the cancer’s growth over time.
Why Choose Compass Oncology for Prostate Cancer Treatment?
At Compass Oncology, patients have access to the most advanced prostate cancer therapies, including clinical trials. Our experienced medical and radiation oncologists use the latest technology and research to create personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient.
Request an initial consultation appointment at one of our Portland or Vancouver locations to discuss recommended prostate cancer treatments and the right timing for each. Second opinions on a prostate cancer care plan are also available.
Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials in Portland and Vancouver
At Compass Oncology, we actively participate in prostate cancer clinical trials through Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), a joint venture with US Oncology Research. This allows us to provide our community with access to new therapies in Portland, OR, and Vancouver, WA. One promising area of research in prostate cancer treatment is immunotherapy, which enhances the immune system's ability to fight cancer more effectively.
What You Need to Know About Prostate Cancer
Watch medical oncologist, Dr. Anthony Pham, discuss the basics of prostate cancer as he covers two different patient cases. Learn more about the Gleason Score, what it means for cancer staging, and common next steps in treatment after diagnosis.
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
When prostate cancer is suspected due to screening results or symptoms, a biopsy is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. If cancer is confirmed, additional tests may be required. Learn more about the prostate biopsy and how the results can impact your treatment options.
Prostate Cancer Staging
The location and size of the tumor, as well as the Gleason Score, will help determine the stage of cancer. The stage of prostate cancer will likely impact when you need treatment and what treatments are likely to work best.
From Our Blog: More Information About Prostate Cancer
Survivor Support for Prostate Cancer
Compass Oncology offers support for prostate cancer patients and their loved ones in the Portland and Vancouver areas. We have gathered a wide range of prostate cancer survivorship resources, from dealing with treatment side effects to nutrition, and the UsTOO Prostate Cancer Support Group is available monthly at our Rose Quarter location.
Find a Prostate Cancer Specialist in Portland-Vancouver
Prostate Cancer FAQs
Adopting a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy unsaturated fats, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco can help lower your risk of prostate cancer. Learn more about prostate cancer risk factors.
Common symptoms associated with prostate cancer include frequent urination, pain or a burning sensation during urination, weak urine flow, and blood in the urine.
Screening typically involves a two-part process: a digital rectal examination to check the prostate for hard or lumpy areas, and a PSA blood test, which measures levels of a hormone called prostate-specific antigen.
Read our blog to learn when you should get prostate cancer screening.
Generally, a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL is considered abnormal but is not a sure sign of cancer. There are non-cancerous conditions that can also produce a higher-than-normal PSA level. You will be evaluated for non-cancerous conditions, and a biopsy may be recommended as the next step.
The biopsy procedure takes about 10 minutes, and the area will be numbed to keep you comfortable. After the biopsy, you may experience tenderness, light bleeding from the rectum, and blood in the stool, semen, or urine. Symptoms such as difficulty urinating, worsening pain, or heavy bleeding should be reported to your doctor immediately.
The Gleason score describes how the prostate cells removed in a biopsy look under a microscope. The more the cells look normal, the lower the Gleason score. A score higher than 6 on a scale of 2-10 indicates that prostate cancer treatment may need to begin.
A urologist usually performs a biopsy to confirm cancer and can perform surgery to remove the prostate. It’s a good idea to speak with an oncologist before choosing to have surgery to see if there are other options available to you.
The choice between radiation therapy and surgery often depends on the cancer's location and stage. Many men have a treatment plan that includes a combination of surgery to remove the tumor and radiation therapy to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.
Read our blog to learn about alternatives to prostate removal surgery for cancer treatment.
How can you reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer?
Adopting a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy unsaturated fats, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco can help lower your risk of prostate cancer. Learn more about prostate cancer risk factors.
What are the warning signs of prostate cancer?
Common symptoms associated with prostate cancer include frequent urination, pain or a burning sensation during urination, weak urine flow, and blood in the urine.
How is prostate cancer screening done?
Screening typically involves a two-part process: a digital rectal examination to check the prostate for hard or lumpy areas, and a PSA blood test, which measures levels of a hormone called prostate-specific antigen.
Read our blog to learn when you should get prostate cancer screening.
What PSA level indicates prostate cancer?
Generally, a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL is considered abnormal but is not a sure sign of cancer. There are non-cancerous conditions that can also produce a higher-than-normal PSA level. You will be evaluated for non-cancerous conditions, and a biopsy may be recommended as the next step.
What should I expect from a prostate biopsy?
The biopsy procedure takes about 10 minutes, and the area will be numbed to keep you comfortable. After the biopsy, you may experience tenderness, light bleeding from the rectum, and blood in the stool, semen, or urine. Symptoms such as difficulty urinating, worsening pain, or heavy bleeding should be reported to your doctor immediately.
What is the Gleason Scoring System for prostate cancer?
The Gleason score describes how the prostate cells removed in a biopsy look under a microscope. The more the cells look normal, the lower the Gleason score. A score higher than 6 on a scale of 2-10 indicates that prostate cancer treatment may need to begin.
Should you see a urologist for prostate cancer treatment?
A urologist usually performs a biopsy to confirm cancer and can perform surgery to remove the prostate. It’s a good idea to speak with an oncologist before choosing to have surgery to see if there are other options available to you.
Is radiation therapy better than surgery for prostate cancer?
The choice between radiation therapy and surgery often depends on the cancer's location and stage. Many men have a treatment plan that includes a combination of surgery to remove the tumor and radiation therapy to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.
Read our blog to learn about alternatives to prostate removal surgery for cancer treatment.