Treating Prostate Cancer
Treating Prostate Cancer
What happens if prostate cancer is found? No two men with prostate cancer are the same. Many factors affect the decision whether or not to treat the disease: the patient's age, whether the cancer has spread, the presence of other medical conditions, and the patient's overall health.
When prostate cancer has been found in its early stages and has not spread beyond the prostate, a doctor and his patient may decide upon
* watchful waiting — monitoring the patient's prostate cancer by
* performing the PSA test and DRE regularly, and treating it only if and
* when the prostate cancer causes symptoms or shows signs of growing;
* surgery (radical prostatectomy) — removing the prostate; external
* radiation therapy — destroying cancer cells by directing radiation at
* the prostate; internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) — surgically
* placing small radioactive pellets inside or near the cancer to destroy
* cancer cells; hormone therapy — giving certain hormones to keep
* prostate cancer cells from growing; cryotherapy — placing a special
* probe inside or near the prostate cancer to freeze and destroy the
* cancer cells.
More advanced prostate cancers that have spread beyond the prostate can be complex to treat and may be incurable. Patients should discuss with their doctor the best course of action.
Do these treatments have side effects?
Side effects from prostate cancer treatment depend mainly on the type of treatment, the patient’s age, and his overall health. Men can experience pain, discomfort, and other mild to severe side effects that may be temporary or may last a long time. Two important side effects are impotence and incontinence. When a doctor explains the treatment options, he or she can discuss how mild or severe side effects might be, and how long they might last. Also, a doctor may be able to perform surgery or prescribe drugs to relieve some side effects.