Possible Prostate Cancer Treatments

Prostate cancer treatments vary drastically and the right treatment plan to cure prostate cancer disease should be discussed with your doctor. The stage and spread of the disease, your overall health condition and other factors have to be taken into consideration before electing the appropriate prostate cancer treatments.

All the pros and cons relating to the various prostate cancer treatments should be taken into consideration by the patient before selecting a particular one. The age, general health condition, mental state and probable life span of the patient are also key factors that are to be considered for selecting suitable prostate cancer treatments.

Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

Prostate cancer treatments vary on the basis of the stage, size and spread of the cancerous tumor. If the tumor is still within the prostate gland, prostate cancer treatments like prostatectomy and radiation therapy are often prescribed. In some cases a doctor may withhold treatment to analyze the progress of the ailment. This is especially so in the case of senior citizens who may have other more serious health ailments. If the tumor has already spread to the other vital organs, hormone therapy might be preferred over prostatectomy and radiation therapy.

Radical prostatectomy is a key surgical procedure amongst several prostate cancer treatments. In this method the entire prostate gland is removed along with the lymph nods surrounding it. This is the most effective method of prostate cancer treatment. As in every other surgical process, prostatectomy also has its own share of risks and complications. The most common side effect of this surgical process is impotency and loss of control over urination.

Radiation therapy is another important method amongst various prostate cancer treatments. There are two forms of radiation therapy - external beam and radio active pellets. For treatment with a radioactive beam, an X-ray machine is used. In radiation therapy using radio active pellets, high doses of radioactive material are placed right on the tumor to be destroyed. One of the major complications of radiation therapy is impotency which normally occurs within a period of 2 years from the treatment.

Amongst various prostate cancer treatments, watchful waiting is generally used to treat senior citizens. This method is also adopted if the growth rate of the tumor is very low. In this method, apart from constant medical supervision, no medicine is actually given to the patient. The growth rate of the tumor is closely monitored by verifying prostate specific antigen levels. If the growth rate remains slow, no further treatment is prescribed. Once the tumor starts growing uncontrollably, hormone therapy is often suggested.

A male hormone called androgen instigates the multiplication and the growth of prostate tumor. Amongst various prostate cancer treatments, hormone therapy is used to bring down the level of androgen thus compelling the tumor to reduce in size. Every prostate treatment plan has its own advantages and disadvantages. One should select the proper treatment approach suited to the patient after reviewing the patient-specific factors and also the risks associated with each option.

Related articles

Prostate Cancer Is Not Uncommon

Recognizing the Most Common Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Prostate Cancer Warning Signs To Note

Recognizing the Signs of Prostate Cancer

Overcoming Advance Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

Possible Prostate Cancer Treatments

The Agony Of Prostate Cancer Recurrence

Preparing For Prostate Cancer Surgery

Recognizing The Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

Early Symptoms of Prostate Cancer to Be Recognized