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Prostate Cancer

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Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. About 1 in 8 men receive this diagnosis during their lifetime, and about 1 in 44 die from it.

At Riverstone Urology in Cypress, Dr. Russell Libby focuses on early detection, clear explanations, and treatment plans that match your cancer risk and your goals for quality of life. He has extensive experience with robotic prostate surgery and works closely with radiation and medical oncology partners when a combined approach makes sense.

What Is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer starts when cells in the prostate grow out of control. The prostate is a small gland below the bladder that surrounds the urethra and produces part of the fluid in semen.

Most prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas that grow from the gland cells inside the prostate. Many grow slowly and stay in the gland for years. Others behave more aggressively and spread outside the prostate to lymph nodes and bone. Early detection gives more options and often better long term control.

What-Is-Prostate-Cancer
Black man thinking about his diagnosis

Risk Factors

Your Risk For Prostate Cancer Goes Up With:

  • Age: Risk rises sharply after age 50. Most cases appear after age 65.
  • Family history: A father, brother, or multiple relatives with prostate cancer increases risk. Certain inherited gene changes, such as BRCA2, raise risk further.
  • Race: Black men face higher risk of diagnosis and higher risk of aggressive disease.
  • PSA pattern over time: Higher PSA at a younger age links to higher lifetime risk of prostate cancer and prostate cancer death.
  • Other factors: Obesity, low activity level, and some dietary patterns link to higher risk in research, although those links are not as strong as age and family history.
Dr. Libby uses these factors plus your PSA history to design a screening and follow up plan that fits your risk level.

Symptoms

Early prostate cancer often causes no symptoms at all. Many men learn about it because a PSA test or exam looks abnormal, not because they feel sick.

When Symptoms Appear, They Can Include:

  • Weak or slow urine stream
  • Trouble starting or stopping urine
  • Frequent urination, especially at night
  • Feeling that your bladder does not empty completely
  • Pain or burning with urination
  • Blood in urine or semen
  • New erectile dysfunction
  • Pain in the hips, back, or ribs, especially with advanced disease
These symptoms also show up with benign prostate enlargement and infection. You still need an evaluation to sort out the cause.
Prostate Cancer Awareness at Riverstone

Screening And Early Detection

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Screening aims to find prostate cancer before symptoms appear. Common tools include:

  • PSA blood test
  • Digital rectal exam, DRE
Screening has benefits and downsides. It finds aggressive cancers earlier, yet it also finds slow growing cancers that never cause harm in some men. That can lead to extra tests and treatment side effects for disease that might have stayed silent.

For this reason, major groups recommend shared decision making instead of automatic screening for everyone. You talk with your doctor about your risk, values, and concerns, then decide together when to start PSA testing and how often to repeat it.

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At Riverstone Urology, Dr. Libby:

  • Reviews your age, family history, race, and other risk factors
  • Looks at your PSA level and how it changes over time
  • Explains the pros and cons of biopsy or continued monitoring
  • Uses MRI and targeted biopsy techniques when appropriate, to focus testing on areas of real concern

How Prostate Cancer Is Diagnosed

If Your Psa Or Exam Looks Concerning, Dr. Libby May Suggest Further Testing. Typical Steps Include:

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Repeat PSA And Exam

To confirm an abnormal result and look for trends.
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Prostate MRI

MRI shows the size of the gland and spots that look suspicious. It also helps guide targeted biopsy.
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Prostate Biopsy

Under ultrasound and often MRI guidance, Dr. Libby takes small samples from specific regions of the prostate. A pathologist reviews these samples under the microscope.

The report describes:

  • Presence or absence of cancer
  • Gleason score and Grade Group, which tell how aggressive the cells look
  • Number and percentage of cores involved
Together with PSA and MRI results, this information determines your risk level and stage.

Risk Groups And Staging

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Prostate Cancer Care Uses Risk Groups To Guide Treatment. These Groups Combine:

  • PSA level
  • Gleason score and Grade Group
  • Number of biopsy cores with cancer
  • MRI findings
  • Evidence of spread on imaging
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Broad Groups Include:

  • Low risk
  • Favorable intermediate risk
  • Unfavorable intermediate risk
  • High risk
  • Very high risk or metastatic disease
Low and some intermediate risk cancers often qualify for active surveillance. Higher risk disease needs a more aggressive plan with surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, or combinations of these.

Treatment Options At Riverstone Urology

Dr. Libby tailors treatment to your cancer’s behavior, your age, your general health, and your priorities for urinary and sexual function. Prostate cancer treatment from major groups such as the American Cancer Society and NCCN includes the options below.
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Active Surveillance

For many men with low risk prostate cancer, immediate treatment is not required. Instead, Dr. Libby may recommend:

Regular PSA testing

Periodic MRI

Repeat biopsies at defined intervals

You delay surgery or radiation unless tests show that the cancer is growing or changing in a concerning way. This approach reduces overtreatment while keeping a close eye on the disease.
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Robotic Radical Prostatectomy

Surgery removes the entire prostate and seminal vesicles, then reconnects the bladder to the urethra. At Riverstone Urology, Dr. Libby performs this operation with robotic assistance in appropriate patients.

Benefits of a robotic approach often include:

  • Smaller incisions
  • Less blood loss
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Faster return to regular activity
When cancer appears confined, Dr. Libby sometimes preserves the nerves that support erections. With more aggressive cancer, he may remove those tissues to reduce the chance of leaving disease behind.
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Radiation Therapy

Radiation uses high energy beams or seeds to destroy cancer cells. Dr. Libby partners with radiation oncology colleagues for:

  • External beam radiation
  • Brachytherapy with implanted radioactive seeds
You delay surgery or radiation unless tests show that the cancer is growing or changing in a concerning way. This approach reduces overtreatment while keeping a close eye on the disease.
Radiation fits men who prefer to avoid surgery, who have other health problems that raise surgical risk, or who need radiation after surgery because of certain pathologic findings.
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Hormone Therapy

Prostate cancer cells depend on testosterone for growth. Hormone therapy lowers or blocks testosterone to slow or shrink cancer. Options include:

  • Injections that signal the body to stop making testosterone
  • Medicines that block testosterone action
  • In some cases, surgery to remove testosterone producing cells in the testicles
Hormone therapy often treats metastatic or high risk disease and often combines with radiation.
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Other Systemic Treatments

For advanced or recurrent prostate cancer, Dr. Libby works with medical oncology to introduce:

  • Chemotherapy
  • Newer hormone drugs
  • Targeted therapies and immunotherapies in selected cases
These treatments control disease, relieve symptoms, and extend survival in more advanced stages.
Why Patients Choose Riverstone Urology

Side Effects And Quality Of Life

Prostate Cancer Treatment Affects Urinary Control, Erections, And Sometimes Bowel Function. Common Side Effects Across Treatments Include:

  • Leakage of urine, especially in the early period after surgery
  • Changes in erections and orgasm
  • Dry orgasm after surgery, with no semen
  • Bowel urgency or discomfort after radiation
  • Hot flashes, fatigue, and metabolic changes with hormone therapy
Dr. Libby spends time on this part of the discussion so you understand tradeoffs before you decide. Supportive care for incontinence, erectile function, and bone health is part of the plan, not an afterthought.

Side Effects And Quality Of Life

Prostate Cancer Treatment Affects Urinary Control, Erections, And Sometimes Bowel Function. Common Side Effects Across Treatments Include:

  • Leakage of urine, especially in the early period after surgery
  • Changes in erections and orgasm
  • Dry orgasm after surgery, with no semen
  • Bowel urgency or discomfort after radiation
  • Hot flashes, fatigue, and metabolic changes with hormone therapy
Dr. Libby spends time on this part of the discussion so you understand tradeoffs before you decide. Supportive care for incontinence, erectile function, and bone health is part of the plan, not an afterthought.

Prostate Cancer Care With Dr. Libby In Cypress

When You See Dr. Libby For Prostate Cancer, You Can Expect:

  • Clear explanations in plain language
  • A review of all reasonable options for your stage and risk group
  • A strong focus on early detection when risk is high
  • Advanced surgical options, including robotic prostatectomy
  • Coordination with radiation and medical oncology when combined therapy offers the best control
If you have an elevated PSA, an abnormal prostate biopsy, or a known prostate cancer diagnosis and want a second opinion, contact Riverstone Urology in Cypress. A focused visit and structured plan help you move from worry toward action with a treatment path that respects both your health and your quality of life.