Cancer is uncontrolled cell growth, regardless of its location in the body. These abnormal cells can invade other healthy tissues, including the prostate gland, an organ that plays a role in the male reproductive system. This type of cancer is rarely fatal but as many as one out of five adult males will develop the disease, according to published statistics. Men who have been diagnosed by a licensed physician need to explore prostate cancer treatment options.
Many factors will determine how the physician chooses to treat a patient with this disease. The patient's overall health, as well as age, may affect the healthcare professional's decision. The physician factors in whether the diagnosis is new or the disease is recurring. The physician will inform the patient about all the possible and expected side effects of each treatment.
If a screening test reveals this condition in older men who are not experiencing symptoms, the physician will monitor the patient closely without treatment until the condition changes. Waiting for symptoms to show before treating is known as watchful waiting. Active surveillance is monitoring a patient with regular testing. Test results alert the patient and his physician if the disease starts to get worse or spread.
Some patients are treated with minimally invasive techniques while others require surgery. Blocking the actions of various male hormones is sometimes effective for slowing or stopping the growth of cancerous tissue. An extreme form of hormone therapy involves removing the testicles, which are responsible for producing the majority of the body's supply of testosterone. Oral medications may be prescribed to inhibit the action of certain androgens.
Surgery is an option if the disease is confined to the prostate gland and the man is in good health otherwise. The surgeon may remove the entire gland or targeted tissues. In some cases, the surgery includes removal of the lymph nodes.
Radiation is a common therapy for killing cancerous cells or restricting their rate of growth. State of the art external radiation equipment uses a computer and sophisticated imaging technology to configure radiation beams into the exact shape of the tumor. This saves surrounding healthy tissues from receiving radiation. An alternative delivery method involves placing radioactive seeds in the diseased area. Cells that are invading bone tissue may be killed with injections of radioactive radium-223.
Chemotherapy attacks growth with drugs taken orally or injected into muscles or veins. Sometimes the physician injects the drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid or delivers it directly to the affected organ. The method of delivery and drugs used depend on the stage and type of cancer the physician is treating.
Patients and their doctors should discuss the various options, possible side effects, and lifestyle to decide on the best therapy. Some patients may be eligible to participate in clinical trials for newly developed therapies. High intensity ultrasound, cryotherapy, and proton beam radiation therapy are three methods of treatment under study by medical researchers. Patients may not be good candidates for trials but their physicians should be able to tell them about any studies they can apply for based on their diagnosis.
Many factors will determine how the physician chooses to treat a patient with this disease. The patient's overall health, as well as age, may affect the healthcare professional's decision. The physician factors in whether the diagnosis is new or the disease is recurring. The physician will inform the patient about all the possible and expected side effects of each treatment.
If a screening test reveals this condition in older men who are not experiencing symptoms, the physician will monitor the patient closely without treatment until the condition changes. Waiting for symptoms to show before treating is known as watchful waiting. Active surveillance is monitoring a patient with regular testing. Test results alert the patient and his physician if the disease starts to get worse or spread.
Some patients are treated with minimally invasive techniques while others require surgery. Blocking the actions of various male hormones is sometimes effective for slowing or stopping the growth of cancerous tissue. An extreme form of hormone therapy involves removing the testicles, which are responsible for producing the majority of the body's supply of testosterone. Oral medications may be prescribed to inhibit the action of certain androgens.
Surgery is an option if the disease is confined to the prostate gland and the man is in good health otherwise. The surgeon may remove the entire gland or targeted tissues. In some cases, the surgery includes removal of the lymph nodes.
Radiation is a common therapy for killing cancerous cells or restricting their rate of growth. State of the art external radiation equipment uses a computer and sophisticated imaging technology to configure radiation beams into the exact shape of the tumor. This saves surrounding healthy tissues from receiving radiation. An alternative delivery method involves placing radioactive seeds in the diseased area. Cells that are invading bone tissue may be killed with injections of radioactive radium-223.
Chemotherapy attacks growth with drugs taken orally or injected into muscles or veins. Sometimes the physician injects the drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid or delivers it directly to the affected organ. The method of delivery and drugs used depend on the stage and type of cancer the physician is treating.
Patients and their doctors should discuss the various options, possible side effects, and lifestyle to decide on the best therapy. Some patients may be eligible to participate in clinical trials for newly developed therapies. High intensity ultrasound, cryotherapy, and proton beam radiation therapy are three methods of treatment under study by medical researchers. Patients may not be good candidates for trials but their physicians should be able to tell them about any studies they can apply for based on their diagnosis.
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