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.

docetaxel prostate cancer
BBC NEWS | Health | Drug hope in prostate cancer care
Doctors should now consider docetaxel for patients with prostate cancer where the disease is no longer responsive to hormone therapy.

Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer may extend life expectancy at
Chemotherapy regimens that include the drug docetaxel extend median survival by two to three months in patients with advanced prostate cancer that is no

Phase II study of weekly docetaxel in symptomatic androgen
Conclusions Weekly docetaxel is well tolerated in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer and has significant activity as measured by relief of

Precautions and Warnings With Docetaxel - Prostate Cancer Follow
Articles: Precautions and Warnings With Docetaxel - Prostate Cancer Follow-up Care.

Three Promising And Innovative Prostate Cancer Therapies In
The investigative therapy Atrasentan (ABT-627) in combination with Docetaxel and Prednisone incorporates prostate cancer chemotherapy -- docetaxel and

Prostate cancer (hormone-refractory) - docetaxel
Prostate cancer (hormone-refractory) - docetaxel. Docetaxel for the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer. Status:, History

Prostate cancer (hormone-refractory) - docetaxel
Docetaxel for the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer TA101 Prostate cancer (hormone-refractory) - docetaxel: analysis of cost impact

Men with advanced, incurable prostate cancer can benefit from
Men with advanced prostate cancer can benefit from Taxotere (docetaxel) chemotherapy. Increases life expectancy, reduces pain, and improves quality of life

Research into treatments for prostate cancer
Results of 2 published phase 3 trials showed that docetaxel was better than mitoxantrone for prostate cancer that has continued to grow despite hormone

NEJM -- Docetaxel plus Prednisone or Mitoxantrone plus Prednisone
Three-weekly Docetaxel with Prednisone is Feasible for Japanese Patients with Hormone-refractory Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective Comparative Study with

DOCETAXEL EXTENDS LIFE IN ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER PATIENTS
Two months may not sound like much time to most people, but the study shows that prostate cancer responds to docetaxel and this opens up the door to explore


docetaxel prostate cancer
exam humor not prostate
cancer prostate proton therapy
cancer prostate proton treatment
anemia prostate cancer