Medical Treatments for Prostate Cancer

There are many different medical treatments for prostate cancer that involve the clinical care of a healthcare professional. These treatments include expectant therapy, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy. Expectant therapy is to carefully observe and monitor the prostate cancer. Because prostate cancer cells often spread very slowly, many older men who have the disease may not need more extensive treatment. However, expectant therapy usually includes routine physician examinations, including digital rectal exams and PSA tests. The different types of surgery for prostate cancer are radical prostatectomy - an open-surgery procedure in which the entire prostate gland and surrounding tissue are removed. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) - surgery to remove part of the prostate gland that surrounds the urethra. Cryosurgery - this procedure involves killing the cancer cells by freezing them with a small metal tool placed in the tumor. Side effects of prostate cancer surgery include incontinence and impotence. Incontinence is the inability to control urine and may result in dribbling of urine, especially immediately after surgery. Normal control usually returns within weeks or months after surgery. Impotence is the inability to achieve an erection. For a month, or so, after surgery, most men are not able to get an erection. Eventually, approximately 40 to 60 percent of men will be able to get an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse, but without ejaculation of semen, since removal of the prostate gland prevents that process.

Radiation therapy uses high energy rays to kill or shrink cancer cells, and to decrease their ability to divide. Radiation is often used to treat prostate cancer that is still confined to the prostate gland, or has spread only to nearby tissue. If the disease is advanced, radiation may be used to reduce the size of the tumor and to provide relief from symptoms. Possible side effects of radiation for prostate cancer may include diarrhea, with or without blood in the stool, and colitis, problems associated with urination, a degree of impotence (inability to get an erection), which may occur within two years of radiation therapy.

The goal of hormone therapy is to lower the level of male hormones in the body, particularly testosterone. Hormone therapy does not cure the cancer, and is often used to treat persons whose cancer has spread or recurred after treatment. Produced mainly in the testicles, testosterone causes prostate cancer cells to grow. Thus, reduced testosterone levels can make the prostate cancer shrink and become less active. Most studies show that hormone therapy works better if it is started early. Chemotherapy is the use of powerful, anti-cancer medications to kill cancer cells.. Hospitalization may be needed to monitor treatment and chemotherapy's side effects. Common side effects of chemotherapy include: nausea and vomiting, hair loss, anemia, reduced ability of blood to clot, mouth sores, increased likelihood of developing infections, fatigue. Most side effects disappear once treatment is stopped.

advanced prostate cancer
Statin Drugs And Risk Of Advanced Prostate Cancer
Cancerbackup's medical advisory report, written for professionals on current issues in the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic - Topic Overview - Yahoo
UroToday.com- Statins are commonly prescribed agents to lower cholesterol and the associated risks of vascular events. Statins are also known to have

Advanced prostate cancer treatments, from UCSF
Advanced prostate cancer patients, their wives and children can all take advantage of this leave in times when care is needed.

Advanced Prostate Cancer
An international study led by a Canadian researcher shows that men with advanced, incurable prostate cancer can survive an average of three months longer

Men with advanced, incurable prostate cancer can benefit from
Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer May Be Operable, Curable April 2005 Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatable After Chemo Holidays revisiting improves quality

PSA Rising Prostate Cancer News, Info, Support
Is this topic for you? This topic covers prostate cancer that has spread or come back after treatment. For information on early cancer that is confined to

Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic
Advanced prostate cancer frequently spreads to the bones particularly of the spine and A Guide to Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer: Understanding

Prostate cancer
ZOLADEX is a prescription medication approved for use in combination with flutamide (an antiandrogen) plus radiotherapy for locally advanced prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer Info : education, support, male hormone therapy
Prostate Cancer: Advanced Disease Experts from the University of Washington and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance discuss advances in the treatment of patients

UWTV Program: Prostate Cancer: Advanced Disease
A new study suggests that an experimental chemotherapy drug could give some men with advanced prostate cancer a temporary reprieve from the ravages of the

Drug could slow growth of advanced prostate cancer - USATODAY.com
Experts don't know what causes prostate cancer, but they believe that your age, family history, and race affect your chances of getting it.

Treatment of advanced prostate cancer, from the Prostate Cancer
This sheet has been developed to provide you with general information on the different treatments available at UCSF for advanced prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Health Center
New findings from Mayo Clinic indicate that cT3 prostate cancer, a disease in which the cancer has spread locally from inside the prostate to immediately

Mayo Clinic Study Shows Advanced Prostate Cancer Previously
Treatment of advanced prostate cancer, from Prostate Cancer Infolink web site, preserved at Phoenix5.

Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic-Topic Overview
If you just learned that you or a loved one has advanced prostate cancer, you may have many Currently, no cure exists for advanced prostate cancer.

Postgraduate Medicine: Prostate Cancer Symposium: Advanced
The urologist is usually the key treating physician for patients with advanced prostate cancer. With most types of metastatic cancer in the United States,

UpToDate Patient information: Advanced prostate cancer
Cases of advanced prostate cancer can also occur in men who are initially treated for localized disease and whose prostate cancer then recurs (commonly

eMedicine - Prostate Cancer: Metastatic and Advanced Disease
Prostate Cancer: Metastatic and Advanced Disease - Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States in men dying from cancer and is


advanced prostate cancer
diagnosing prostate cancer
doctor prostate urology
cyberknife prostate
bard proton beam prostate hmo