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.

gleason adenocarcinoma of the prostate
LDH vs. HDR brachytherapy for Gleason 7 adenocarcinoma of the
LDH vs. HDR brachytherapy for Gleason 7 adenocarcinoma of the prostate. No presentation available Meeting: 2006 Prostate Cancer Symposium

Gleason Score 2 â“ 4 Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate on Needle Biopsy
By adopting the simple approach of not assigning Gleason scores 2-4 for adenocarcinoma of the prostate on needle biopsy, we can significantly improve both

Gleason Score: A Significant Biologic Manifestation of Prostate
Epstein JI: Gleason score 2-4 Adenocarcinoma of the prostate on needle biopsy. A diagnosis that should not be made. Am J Surg Path 24:477- 478, 2000. 41.

Accurate Gleason grading of prostatic adenocarcinoma in prostate
Accurate Gleason grading of prostatic adenocarcinoma in prostate needle biopsies by general pathologists from Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine in

Gleason Grading, Understanding it, from the Prostate Cancer
Understanding Gleason Grading, from Prostate Cancer Infolink web site, Figure 2: Grade 1 (left) and grade 2 (right) prostate adenocarcinoma.

Modern Pathology - Gleason grading and prognostic factors in
Gleason grade of adenocarcinoma of the prostate is an established prognostic indicator that has stood the test of time. The Gleason grading method was

Modern Pathology - Corpora amylacea in adenocarcinoma of the
Corpora amylacea in the prostate are a frequent finding in benign acini, . (a) Corpora amylacea within acini of Gleason pattern 3 adenocarcinoma.

Heterogeneity of Gleason grade in multifocal adenocarcinoma of the
areas of carcinoma in the same prostate specimen. Prostatic adenocarcinoma. often is multifocal, and different Gleason grades may be present in different

LandspĂ­tali University Hospital: Adenocarcinoma of the prostate in
Title:, Adenocarcinoma of the prostate in Iceland: a population-based study of stage, Gleason grade, treatment and long-term survival in males diagnosed

Prostate cancer, Gleason score
Low power photomicrograph of prostate adenocarcinoma. Gleason grade 3 + 4 · Biopsy-proved Gleason grade 7 adenocarcinoma in a 62-year-old man with a PSA


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