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 exam--any other way besides rectal
Patient medical question and answer from The Urology Forum. Health topic area and articles about benign prostate disease Topics: rectal exam cancer

OU College of Medicine: OU College of Medicine :: Simulation
Prostate Examination Simulator for digital examination of the prostate. This simulator closely duplicates the tactile qualities of clinical prostate

Prostate Cancer Information
The prostate exam is a basic, relatively painless exam, that is performed by your primary care physician or a urologist. You can expect to have several of

DRE | Prostate Cancer Information | UPMC Cancer Centers
Most early prostate cancers cause no symptoms and are found only through early detection by a digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen

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There's an on-going debate within the medical community about the merits of routine screening for prostate cancer. Get the latest information and one

The Prostate Examination
The prostate examination remains one of the most intrusive, embarrassing, but necessary, examinations for men. In this article I look at the procedure

Prostate Cancer Exam - PSA Test - Prostate Medical Exam
A man in the early stages of prostate cancer may have no symptoms at all. This confusing array of symptoms makes a thorough medical examination and testing

Digital Rectal Exam for Prostate Cancer Screening- WebMD
A digital rectal exam can be used to detect abnormalities of the prostate or prostate cancer.

Digital Rectal Examination For Prostate Problems
The digital rectal exam (DRE) is a test used to assist in screening for prostate cancer. The goal in prostate cancer screening is to detect cancer in its

Overcoming men's objections to prostate cancer exam
Overcoming men's objections to exam for prostate cancer, from the American Foundation for Urologic Disease.

Prostate Examination simulator
images of Prostate Examination simulator The Prostate examination simulator provides realistic training in prostate palpation.

USNews.com: Health: Prostate Cancer: Digital rectal examination
Because the prostate cannot be seen or felt externally, doctors perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) to assess its size, shape, and consistency.

Prostate Examination
Prostate Examination J. Maxwell White JR David P. O'Brien III Definition The normal adult prostate gland is heart shaped with a weight of approximately 20

Rectal examination - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In veterinary medicine rectal examination is useful in dogs for analysis of the prostate (as in man), pelvic urethra, sublumbar lymph nodes, and anal glands

Prostate Cancer Screening Event
The screening involves a blood test to measure the amount of prostate specific antigen, or PSA, in the blood, and a physical examination of the prostate

Patient Information - Prostate Exam
If a biopsy is not needed, an ultrasound examination of your prostate is similar in discomfort to a rectal examination performed by your doctor.

The Prostate Examination
The Prostate Examination. What happens to you during a prostate examination and what the doctor is looking for.


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