Disruptive” Prostate Cancer Imaging Now Offered at Hope Regional Cancer Center, a partner with Advanced Urology Institute
PSMA PET scan is the best way to see prostate cancer anywhere in the body
Panama City, Fla. (October 16, 2024)—Hope Regional Cancer Center, which merged with Advanced Urology Institute in October 2023, is now employing a powerful new diagnostic tool in the fight against prostate cancer – the PSMA PET scan.
PET stands for positron emission tomography, an imaging test that shows 3D images inside the body. PSMA stands for prostate-specific membrane antigen, a protein prostate cancer cells make.
The PSMA-PET test uses an FDA-approved radioactive tracing agent to pinpoint the location of cancer cells within the body. Patients are injected with the radiotracer before starting their PET scan. The tracer binds with the PSMA on the prostate cancer cells, so when your doctor reviews your PET images, any prostate cancer cells within the body are lit up by the radiotracer.
“It’s a disruptive technology,” said Dr. Hasan Murshed, a board-certified radiation oncologist with Hope Regional Cancer Center. “The PSMA PET scan shows us the disease more accurately throughout the body. It shows us the disease at an earlier stage and allows us to be much more precise in our treatment planning.”
Hope Regional Cancer Center is dedicated to treating all types of cancers. It provides vital imaging services necessary for diagnosing nearly 30 different types of cancer, from breast to uterine cancers. Its October 2023 merger with Advanced Urology Institute helped provide for this expansion of care in prostate cancer imaging.
“October marks the first anniversary of our merger with Advanced Urology Institute, and being able to offer this potentially life-saving imaging service to our prostate cancer patients is a pretty great way to celebrate,” said Dr. Murshed.
About Hope Regional Cancer Center
Hope Regional Cancer Center was founded in 2012 on the Emerald Coast by Dr. Hasan Murshed. It is a freestanding, comprehensive cancer treatment center that provides coordination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy infusion services, blood disorder treatments, and image-guided and intensity-modulated radiation therapy. It is among an exclusive group of freestanding cancer centers in Florida that has earned the prestigious American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation, which is recognized as the gold standard in medical imaging. Learn more about HopeRegionalCancerCenter.com.
About Advanced Urology Institute
Advanced Urology Institute was formed in May 2014, joining four respected urology practices in Florida to create a single-specialty, physician-led organization. It employs more than 68 urologists across more than 30 locations in the state and treats urologic and sexual health issues for more than 250,000 men and women annually. Learn more at AdvancedUrologyInstitute.com.
For more information on PSMA/PET scans and Hope Regional Cancer Center, including interviews with Dr. Murshed, please contact:
Randy Wahlberg
Physician Liaison
Hope Regional Cancer Center
850-276-9614
Prevent Cancer: Tips to Living Cancer Free Life
Cancer is a broad term that describes a large group of different diseases. However, all cancer shares few common features, such as, uncontrolled cell growth, abnormal appearance under microscope, and ability to spread to distant organs. In addition, carcinogenesis is a complex process, which includes initiation characterized by DNA mutation either spontaneously or due to exposure to carcinogens; promotion causing cell divisions due to intra or extra cellular stimulus; and progression when cancer cells metastasize to another organ.
To prevent cancers, we first must understand the risk factors for cancers. Although vast majority of cancers arises denovo, there are many known risk factors for cancers as well.
Age and gender, as we grow old our risk for cancer goes up. Some cancers are gender specific such as breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men. Sunlight causes skin cancer. Tobacco causes lung cancer, and bladder cancer. Alcohol causes head and neck cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. HPV virus can cause cervical cancer, and head and neck cancer. BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutation can cause breast cancer.
In USA more than 5 million people each year gets skin cancers. More than a million people each year are diagnosed with lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other cancers; more than half a million patients die from cancer each year. Many of these cancers can be prevented.
Skin cancer – follow sun safety such as cover exposed skin when outside, wide brim hat, use SPF 15+ sunscreen every two hours, avoid sun between 10 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, avoid artificial tanning.
Lung Cancer – avoiding tobacco or stopping tobacco use will reduce lung cancers by 95%.
Breast Cancer – alcohol consumption in moderation, avoiding hormone replacement therapy may reduce breast cancer.
Prostate Cancer – low fat diet, eating more vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or soy derived food has been linked to reduce incidence of prostate cancer, hormone blocking agents such as finasteride can lower risk of prostate cancer.
Cervical Cancer – HPV vaccines has shown to prevent cervical and head and neck cancer.
Like infectious disease and heart diseases, prevention will be key to reduce incidence and mortality from cancers. The best news is that in last 2 decades deaths from cancers has declined by 33% due to less smoking, early detection, and advancements in cancer treatments.
Hasan Murshed, MD is a cancer specialist and board-certified radiation oncologist. Reach him at (850) 481-1687 or www.HopeRegionalCancerCenter.com. This information is intended for education only. For treatment, seek advice from your physician.