Treatment for prostate cancer depends on the cancer stage. Once diagnosis has been confirmed, extensive tests are done to determine if there is metastasis occurring in the patient. This is done by staging procedures such as Radionuclide bone scan, MRI, pelvic lymphadenectomy, CT scan and Seminal vesicle biopsy.
A biopsy is used to determine the Gleason score, which is used to determine the rate at which the cancer might spread.
Stages Of Prostrate Cancer
There are four stages of prostate cancer. Stage four is the stage when the cancer has metastasized and affected other organs. This stage is often fatal and hard to recover from.
Types Of Prostate Cancer Treatment
There are several treatment options with each option claiming to be the best. The treatment options may have certain side effects too. Careful research and advice from experts is recommended before opting for any treatment.
Some good treatment options are-
Radical Prostatectomy
Doctors use either radical retro pubic prostatectomy or radical perineal prostatectomy. In this, the entire gland plus some tissue surrounding it is removed. This is done only to treat stage 1 or stage 2 patients in whom the cancer is contained in the gland and has not yet metastasized. Patients need to be hospitalized for a minimum of 3 days for the treatment and need to stay off from work for 3 to 5 weeks after this procedure.
Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
In this procedure, surgery is done using a laparoscope and the patient is able to go home a day or two after the surgery.
Radiation Therapy
External beam radiation or Internal radiation therapy (Brachytherapy) or 3D-CRT is done. In such treatments high-energy rays (such as x-rays) or particles (such as electrons or protons) are used to kill the cancer cells. Systemic radiation therapy is useful when the cancer has spread to the bones.
Chemotherapy
This is used in the final stages when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body also. This cannot cure a patient totally, but can shrink the cancer cells and reduce pain. Certain drugs are injected into the blood stream. They not only kill cancerous cells but have adverse effect on normal cells too.
Cryotherapy
In this method, needles are used to apply freezing gases to the affected prostate gland.
Hormone Therapy
This is used in combination with radiation therapy to treat stage 3 patients. Hormones are used to block or nullify the effects of the androgens. Some cancers do not respond to this treatment and are called androgen-independent cancers.
Orchiectomy, a term given for the surgical removal of the testicles is also another hormone treatment given, as it lowers androgen levels.
Attitude Towards The Cancer Patient
Sometimes due the frail health of an elderly patient or due to other health complications a wait and watch policy is adopted where the cancer is monitored regularly.
After treatment, sufficient rest and a positive attitude is essential. The patient must be encouraged and helped to develop a will to fight and survive.
These are just a few facts about the treatment available for prostate cancer.
A biopsy is used to determine the Gleason score, which is used to determine the rate at which the cancer might spread.
Stages Of Prostrate Cancer
There are four stages of prostate cancer. Stage four is the stage when the cancer has metastasized and affected other organs. This stage is often fatal and hard to recover from.
Types Of Prostate Cancer Treatment
There are several treatment options with each option claiming to be the best. The treatment options may have certain side effects too. Careful research and advice from experts is recommended before opting for any treatment.
Some good treatment options are-
Radical Prostatectomy
Doctors use either radical retro pubic prostatectomy or radical perineal prostatectomy. In this, the entire gland plus some tissue surrounding it is removed. This is done only to treat stage 1 or stage 2 patients in whom the cancer is contained in the gland and has not yet metastasized. Patients need to be hospitalized for a minimum of 3 days for the treatment and need to stay off from work for 3 to 5 weeks after this procedure.
Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
In this procedure, surgery is done using a laparoscope and the patient is able to go home a day or two after the surgery.
Radiation Therapy
External beam radiation or Internal radiation therapy (Brachytherapy) or 3D-CRT is done. In such treatments high-energy rays (such as x-rays) or particles (such as electrons or protons) are used to kill the cancer cells. Systemic radiation therapy is useful when the cancer has spread to the bones.
Chemotherapy
This is used in the final stages when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body also. This cannot cure a patient totally, but can shrink the cancer cells and reduce pain. Certain drugs are injected into the blood stream. They not only kill cancerous cells but have adverse effect on normal cells too.
Cryotherapy
In this method, needles are used to apply freezing gases to the affected prostate gland.
Hormone Therapy
This is used in combination with radiation therapy to treat stage 3 patients. Hormones are used to block or nullify the effects of the androgens. Some cancers do not respond to this treatment and are called androgen-independent cancers.
Orchiectomy, a term given for the surgical removal of the testicles is also another hormone treatment given, as it lowers androgen levels.
Attitude Towards The Cancer Patient
Sometimes due the frail health of an elderly patient or due to other health complications a wait and watch policy is adopted where the cancer is monitored regularly.
After treatment, sufficient rest and a positive attitude is essential. The patient must be encouraged and helped to develop a will to fight and survive.
These are just a few facts about the treatment available for prostate cancer.
