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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Prostate Cancer Videos
This video discusses the basics of prostate cancer. A video discussion about side effects of prostate cancer treatments that involve the bones.

Prostate Cancer Videos By Topic
Learn about the cutting-edge research in prostate cancer. CNN Breaking News CNN's Elizabeth Cohen looks at Prostate Cancer. December 18, 2007. Watch video

Prostate Cancer, Prostate Cancer Symptoms, Prostrate Cancer
Learn how these bone complications are treated and even prevented making it one less thing a person with prostate cancer has to worry about. Watch Video

Prostate / Prostate Cancer Video Library from Medical News Today
A video discussion about side effects of prostate cancer treatments that involve the bones. Video: Prostate Cancer and Fragile Bones - What's the Link?

Prostate Cancer Videos Menu
Videos on Prostate Cancer, Prostate Health from our comprehensive consumer health video library. Click any title to bring up our video window.

Prostate Cancer - What Do You Know About Prostate Cancer Video
Educate diverse populations about prostate cancer by making the video available in English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Prostate Video - M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
(pediatric), Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Nutrition & Cancer, Ophthalmology - General, Oral Cancer Back to Prostate Cancer Video Home

Educational Video on Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
Welcome to PatientVideo - Your Online Video Resource, your source for information on urology Words to Live by: Living With Advanced Prostate Cancer

PatientVideo - Your Online Video Resource
button LIFELINES: A GUIDE TO LIVING WITH PROSTATE CANCER A 30-minute video that is a very good introduction. It covers diagnosis and the effect it had, PSA,


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