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.

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Indeed, researchers have long been able to show that surgery and/or radiation cuts deaths â” at least from prostate cancer itself.

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Among the nation's best in patient care, medical education, and research. Possible complications or side effects of prostate cancer surgery:

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Outcome Of Prostatectomy Best With Experienced Surgeon. Many men with prostate cancer may endanger their lives by avoiding prostate removal, unwilling to

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Not all patients are appropriate candidates for minimally invasive prostate surgery. It is generally best suited for men under the age of 70,

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The best news is that little more than a month after surgery my PSA (prostate specific antigen) level had dropped from nearly 4.0 down to less than 0.1.

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Walsh is considered by many to be one of the best prostate surgeons in the world. His article titled "Patient Reported Urinary Incontinence and Sexual

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Prostate Surgery Nerve Damage Can Result in Impotence It is not intended to infer that surgery is always the best choice for a particular nerve injury.

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The best candidates for LRP are men with low to intermediate grade prostate cancer who have no prior pelvic radiation or surgery. Age is not a factor,

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Men Have Time To Choose Best Prostate Cancer Treatment . 06/02/07. Helping African Americans After Prostate Surgery, 09/27/02

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Experienced Docs Work Best for Prostate Surgery, Study Says, Practice makes perfect when it comes to prostate surgery, a new study shows.

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Men who need surgery for prostate cancer should seek out a surgeon with a lot of about the best way to structure prostate cancer care, Vickers says.

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So he spent $2000 to consult with some of the top prostate surgeons in the on what course of action is best: surgery, external beam radiation therapy,

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Dr. Samadi has been performing robotic prostate cancer surgery since 2002. In most cases, a da Vinci robotic prostatectomy is the best prostate cancer

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Fortune magazine article by Andy Grove about his fight with prostate cancer Clearly, surgery did not cure everyone, even under the best conditions.

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