Cancer Care
From diagnosis and throughout treatment, Main Line Health cancer specialists (oncologists) provide compassionate care for you and your loved ones through all stages of cancer treatment.
Prostate Cancer
At Main Line Health, we offer comprehensive treatment for prostate cancer. From an accurate diagnosis to advanced radiation therapy techniques, we provide personalized, compassionate care that fits your individual needs.
Diagnosing prostate cancer
Quality care starts with a timely diagnosis. At Main Line Health, we use many diagnostic techniques to detect prostate cancer early, including:
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. This scan uses magnets, not radiation, to produce images of the inside of your body.
- Biopsies of the prostate or pelvic region. During this test, a doctor will take a small sample of your prostate using a needle to be examined for abnormal cells. If needed, this can be done with MRI guidance. And biopsies can be done with a new transperineal technique that has higher accuracy and a lower risk of infection.
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood testing. For PSA testing, your doctor will examine a sample of your blood for a protein that may be present when you have prostate cancer.
- Adjunctive tests. Your doctor may want to evaluate an abnormal PSA test with advanced PSAs such as a 4K score or free/total PSA.
- Transrectal ultrasound. Ultrasounds use radio waves to create images of your organs. In this test, a probe is inserted into the rectum in order to produce images of your prostate.
These tests help our experts identify cancer and determine important information such as how large the tumor(s) is and whether cancer has spread to other areas of your body. This valuable information is used to design a treatment plan that is best for you—whether it is watchful waiting, surgery, radiation therapy or a combination of treatments.
U.S. News & World Report has rated Bryn Mawr Hospital as High Performing for prostate cancer surgery for 2022-2023.
Treatments
At Main Line Health, we provide personalized prostate cancer treatment plans using advanced surgical and radiation therapy techniques. We strive to offer less invasive treatments with fewer side effects so you can maintain a higher quality of life throughout your cancer treatment.
Your treatment plan may include the latest prostate cancer treatments, including:
- Robotic prostate surgery – During robotic prostate surgery, your surgeon performs very precise surgery with small incisions to remove the cancer.
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – This type of radiation therapy uses 3D models of your tumors to deliver extremely targeted radiation (high energy beams that destroy cancer) so that healthy cells aren't damaged.
- Stereotactic body radiotherapy – Our advanced equipment allows us to reduce how many radiation therapy treatments you need by delivering high, accurate doses of radiation in single treatments.
- Low-dose-rate brachytherapy – Radioactive "seeds" can be implanted in the prostate. They emit radiation to kill cancer cells from inside your prostate
Prostatectomy
Fight prostate cancer with advanced prostatectomy surgeries at Main Line Health.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
Offered at only a limited number of hospitals in the area, this technique is designed to deliver radiation therapy with incredible precision to tumors anywhere in the body in five or less treatments. SBRT incorporates new technologies such as variable dose rate and real time tracking to achieve the accuracy needed to deliver this treatment.
Robotic-Assisted Prostatectomy
One of the most common treatments for prostate cancer is a prostatectomy, a surgical procedure that removes part of, or sometimes the entire, prostate. One way to do this surgery is minimally invasively, using a surgical robot.
Brachytherapy Treatment
Main Line Health offers lifesaving brachytherapy, which uses targeted doses of radiation to treat prostate cancer at its source.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is used to fight almost every type of cancer. Oncologists (cancer doctors) prescribe and give chemotherapy as part of your individual treatment plan.
Cryosurgery
Cryotherapy is used for removal of abnormal cells, such as basal cell carcinoma, and internally for cancerous and precancerous cells of the prostate and cervix.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation treatments may be standalone or in combination with cancer surgery and chemotherapy. It may also be used to relieve symptoms of cancer.
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT, uses sophisticated imaging and software to identify the exact size, shape and location of a tumor and to deliver a precise dose of radiation that conforms to the tumor and leaves surrounding tissue intact.
Surgical Oncology
Radiation Oncology
At Main Line Health, our expert radiation oncologists use the latest technology to give you powerful, precise treatment.
TrueBeam Linear Accelerator
TrueBeam Linear Accelerator, a powerful treatment option for complex cancers, uses advanced imaging and powerful treatment modes that allow our doctors to tailor treatments to your particular cancer.
Hematology and Blood Disorders
Whether you are fighting cancer or managing a blood disorder, the hematologists and oncologists at Main Line Health offer the comprehensive care you need.
Cancer Survivorship Services
With advances in medicine, millions of people are living with cancer than ever before. For that reason, we established The Survivorship Program—a program designed to help patients transition to life following treatment, by alleviating some of their common concerns.
Genetics and Risk Assessment
Genetic evaluation is becoming an important part of personalized care, as many health conditions have a genetic basis and genetic test results can help to guide medical decisions. Our genetic counselors provide consultations related to cancer genetics, cardiovascular genetics and prenatal genetics.