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.

chemotherapy for prostate
Prostate Cancer Chemotherapy: Advanced Prostate Cancer and Bone
prostate cancer chemotherapy is used for advanced prostate cancer with bone metastasis.

Chemotherapy and Prostate Cancer Patients
Patients with prostate cancer could be candidates for chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy for prostate cancer, recent news
Recent advances in chemotherapy and targeted therapies for prostate cancer.

Prostate Chemotherapy Treatment at Fox Chase Cancer Center
Chemotherapy for prostate cancer has been shown to prolong patients' lives, reduce pain from bone metastases (when cancer spreads) and enhance overall

Chemotherapy - Prostate Cancer Foundation
In cancer treatment, chemotherapy refers to a class of drugs that inhibit or kill off rapidly dividing cells such as cancer cells.

Side Effects of Chemotherapy - Prostate Cancer Foundation
Information about the side effects of chemotherapy as a treatment for prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Chemotherapy - WebMD
Information about the use of chemotherapy for prostate cancer -- how it is given, what to expect and the side effects.

Prostate Cancer - Chemotherapy (Written Primarily For The Medical
PROSTATE CANCER - Chemotherapy (Written primarily for the medical Oncologist)

Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat cancerous cells. Specific treatment for prostate cancer will be determined by your physician based on:

Chemotherapy
Detailed information on chemotherapy for prostate cancer, including administration and potential side effects.

Cytotoxic chemotherapy and prostate cancer : Cancerbackup
Current issues in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer: information about cytotoxic chemotherapy and prostate cancer.

Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer
Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer. J. Wang and J. Waxman. Imperial College School of Medicine, London, UK. Hormonal treatments for prostate cancer have a

Cytotoxic chemotherapy for prostate cancer: Who and when?
The timing of chemotherapy in the aforementioned solid tumors is much more clearly defined than in men with metastatic prostate cancer.

Chemotherapy for prostate cancer: small steps or leaps and bounds
The Minireview by Canil and Tannock has accurately summarised what we know about the benefits and drawbacks of chemotherapy for prostate cancer (Canil and

Research into treatments for prostate cancer
Steroids are often used, with or without chemotherapy, when prostate cancer stops responding to hormone therapy. One of these steroids is called

Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer may extend life expectancy at
Learn about chemotherapy for prostate cancer and how it can extend a man's life.

Chemotherapy - Prostate Cancer Research Foundation
Chemotherapy is very successful in fighting many types of cancer. However it is less effective in prostate cancer because prostate cancer cells do not grow

Chemotherapy | Prostate Cancer Information | UPMC Cancer Centers
While considerable work remains to be done in developing truly effective chemotherapy for prostate cancer, well-tolerated drugs are available which clearly

Chemotherapy for prostate cancer
Chemotherapy for prostate cancer. This page tells you about the basics of chemotherapy and its use in treating prostate cancer.


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