Urinary changes
Frequent urination (especially at night), difficulty passing urine, a slow or weak stream, or pain during urination.
Cancers We Treat
Prostate cancer is common —
Prostate cancer is common —
and highly treatable.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer among Singaporean men. Many prostate cancers grow slowly; some grow aggressively — which is why accurate grading matters. AARO specialists started the first prostate SBRT programme in Singapore and Southeast Asia, treating suitable cancers in as few as five sessions.
3rdMost common cancer in Singaporean men
5SBRT sessions for suitable cases
1stProstate SBRT programme in Southeast Asia
Image · placeholderAn AARO specialist in consultation — reviewing prostate imaging and PSA results with a patient.
Image · placeholderAnatomy illustration — the prostate gland and surrounding structures
Prostate Cancer · What is it
Cancer that begins in the prostate gland.
Prostate cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the prostate — the small gland below the bladder that produces prostate fluid. Abnormal cells divide and accumulate into a tumour, which can grow to invade nearby tissue and, in some cases, spread to other parts of the body.
Almost all prostate cancers develop from the gland cells and are known as adenocarcinomas. Rarer types include small cell carcinomas, neuroendocrine tumours and transitional cell carcinomas.
Many prostate cancers grow slowly and never cause serious harm — while some grow aggressively and spread quickly. Working out which kind you have, through grading and staging, is the foundation of every good treatment decision.
Prostate Cancer · Symptoms
When to see a doctor.
Early prostate cancer often causes no symptoms at all. As the cancer grows in the gland, these signs may appear — though each can also be caused by benign conditions such as prostate enlargement.
Blood in urine or semen
Visible blood should always be checked promptly, even though causes other than cancer are common.
Bone pain
In later stages, prostate cancer can spread to bone — persistent pain in the back, hips or pelvis warrants investigation.
Leg swelling
Swelling in the legs can occur in advanced disease when lymph drainage is affected.
Loss of appetite or weight
Unexplained weight loss or appetite changes can accompany later-stage disease.
No symptoms at all
Most early prostate cancers are found through screening, not symptoms — which is why PSA discussion matters from age 50.
Prostate Cancer · Diagnosis
How prostate cancer is diagnosed.
Diagnosis moves from simple screening tests to targeted confirmation — each step only if the previous one warrants it.
Image · placeholderConsultation room — PSA result review with the patient
PSA blood test & DRE
A blood sample measures prostate-specific antigen (PSA); a digital rectal examination checks the gland's texture, shape and size.
Image · placeholderMRI review — multiparametric prostate imaging on screen
Imaging
A transrectal ultrasound or multiparametric MRI visualises the gland and flags suspicious areas for targeting.
Image · placeholderPathology — biopsy tissue under the microscope
Biopsy & grading
Small tissue samples confirm whether cancer is present and how aggressive it is likely to be (the Gleason grade).
Image · placeholderPSMA-PET staging scan on the review console
Staging
CT, MRI, PSMA-PET and bone scans establish whether the disease is confined to the prostate or has spread.
Prostate Cancer · Risk factors
What raises your risk?
Risk rises with age — men over 50 should discuss the benefits and limitations of screening with their doctor, earlier if there's family history.
Age
Risk increases significantly after the age of 50.
Family history
A father or brother diagnosed before 65 raises your risk — discuss earlier screening with your doctor.
Ancestry
Men of African descent have a higher risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.
Obesity
Obesity is associated with a higher risk of aggressive disease.
Diet
A diet high in fat and low in fibre is associated with increased risk.
High testosterone
Higher testosterone levels are associated with increased prostate cancer risk.
Prostate Cancer · Treatment
How AARO treats prostate cancer.
Treatment depends on grade, stage, age and preference — from active surveillance for slow-growing cancers to curative precision radiation. AARO's prostate programme is anchored by SBRT, the technique our specialists pioneered regionally.
Prostate SBRT
High-precision radiation completed in as few as 5 sessions — a curative, non-surgical option our specialists brought to Southeast Asia first.
SpaceOAR hydrogel
A temporary gel spacer placed before radiation that pushes the rectum out of the high-dose region, reducing bowel side effects.
VMAT / IMRT
Modern intensity-modulated radiotherapy for cases where a conventional-length course is the right prescription.
Hormone therapy
Androgen deprivation therapy alongside radiation for intermediate and high-risk disease — proven to improve outcomes.
Prostate Cancer · Precision
Hours of planning, for one careful treatment.
Every plan at AARO goes through detailed contouring, dose simulation, and independent physics review before a single beam is delivered. We do this so the radiation hits exactly the tissue that needs it — and avoids the healthy tissue around it.
Image · placeholderTwo AARO radiation therapists at the planning console, reviewing a treatment plan together on a multi-monitor workstation.
We plan every dose.
Our medical physicists and radiation therapists collaborate on each plan — contouring tumour and organs-at-risk, simulating dose distribution, and independently checking every parameter before delivery.
Image · placeholderAn AARO team member reviewing verification imaging at the console — daily image guidance before treatment.
We verify every session.
Imaging before each fraction confirms the target's position to the millimetre — so tight margins stay safe, and healthy tissue stays out of the high-dose region.
Image · placeholderA patient comfortably positioned beneath the Elekta linear accelerator with green laser positioning lights and the signature starry ceiling above.
Prostate Cancer · What to expect
Quiet, precise, uneventful.
Each treatment session takes 15–30 minutes. You'll lie on a precision treatment couch beneath the linear accelerator. Positioning lasers and daily imaging align you to within a millimetre of the planned position.
You won't feel the radiation as it's delivered. There's no anaesthesia, no recovery time, and no overnight stay. Most patients drive themselves home after the session and return to normal activities the same day.
Image · placeholderThe four senior AARO specialists at the Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery.
Prostate Cancer · Your specialists
Meet Dr Daniel Tan→
Sub-specialist care.
Prostate cancer at AARO is treated by the specialists who led Southeast Asia's first prostate SBRT trial — you'll meet the consultant whose expertise matches your case, and the same person stays with you through treatment.
Dr Daniel TanSRS · SBRT · Brain · Spine · Prostate
Dr Jonathan TehGU · Head & Neck · GI · Sarcoma · Paediatric
Recently diagnosed? Or seeking a second opinion?
Book a 45–60 minute specialist consultation. We'll review your imaging and pathology, explain the options that apply to your case, and answer your questions.