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.

cancer prostate recurrence
Prostate Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Patients â“ Version VI
Prostate Cancer Work-Up (Evaluation); Initial Treatment for Prostate Cancer with Low to Intermediate Recurrence Risk; Initial Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Mayo Clinic - PSA Doubling Predicts Prostate Cancer Recurrence
PSA Doubling Predicts Prostate Cancer Recurrence. Monday, April 09, 2007. A detectable level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the first indicator of

PSA Doubling Predicts Prostate Cancer Recurrence
A detectable level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the first indicator of recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.

The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center At Johns Hopkins
"We identified three risk factors associated with death from prostate cancer after recurrence that may allow doctors to distinguish early on between those

JAMA -- Abstract: Risk of Prostate Cancer-Specific Mortality
Improved prediction of prostate cancer recurrence through systems pathology Defining Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer After Radical

Prostate Cancer Treatment - National Cancer Institute
Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of prostate cancer.

Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - Radiation Therapy Reduces
Higher dosages of radiation also resulted in significant reduction in prostate cancer recurrence in both low-risk and high-risk groups: 51 percent and 44

Obesity Predicts Prostate Cancer Recurrence - Prostate Cancer
Outcome associated with obese men who undergo external beam radiation therapy.

Prostate Cancer: - Monitoring After Treatment
This gives more information about the risk of return (or recurrence) of the cancer. Should the cancer be confined to the prostate gland then the outlook is

Prostate Cancer:Recurrance after Treatment
Recurrence of Prostate Cancer after treatment. The most common signs of recurrence of prostate cancer are a rising PSA, regrowth in the prostate or in

Prostate Cancer: Long Term Followup
Prostate cancer requires lifelong follow-up! Unfortunately, prostate cancer can recur many years after apparently successful treatment.

Defining Biochemical Recurrence Of Prostate Cancer After Radical
UroToday.com - While an increasing PSA level is an early sign of prostate cancer (CaP) recurrence, varied definitions of biochemical recurrence (BCR) result

Prostate cancer recurrence risk much higher for men who gain
Men who gain weight rapidly between the ages of 25 and 40 are twice as likely to have recurrence of prostate cancer after surgery as men without rapid rates

Prostate Cancer, The Cancer Information Network
Long-Term Hormone Plus Radiation Therapy Can Prevent Recurrence - Long-term hormone treatment plus radiation in locally advanced prostate cancer can prevent

Prostate Cancer Recurrence - WebMD
Information about a prostate cancer recurrence which is when the cancer returns after initial treatment.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer - April 1, 1998
With radiotherapy, however, cancers can recur over a much longer period of time, because the prostate cancer may not be completely destroyed by

Risk of recurrence in prostate cancer
Risk of recurrence in prostate cancer â“ information examines rates of disease recurrence associated with current treatment standards for prostate cancer,

Postgraduate Medicine: Prostate Cancer Symposium: Follow-up after
For the vast majority of patients who have had prostate cancer, recurrence of cancer is their greatest concern. Obviously, for patients with symptoms that

When Prostate Cancer Comes Back (Cancer Recurrence)
Prostate cancer can recur locally in the tissue next to the prostate or in the seminal vesicles (two small sacs next to the prostate that store semen)


cancer prostate recurrence
causes of enlarged prostate
cancer prostate recurrent treatment
good prostate
gland prostate sex