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.

incontinence after prostate
Quick, Innovative Procedure Helps Men Minimize Incontinence After
More on Quick, Innovative Procedure Helps Men Minimize Incontinence After Prostatectomy. New Prostate Cancer Study Affirms Value of PSA Test

Prostate Cancer and Incontinence - WebMD
Loss of urine with a cough, sneeze or laugh is called stress incontinence and is the most common type of urine leakage men experience after prostate surgery

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases - Abstract of article
Urinary incontinence after radical retropubic prostatectomy is not related prostate cancer, prostatectomy, complications, incontinence, body mass index

News - New Procedure Helps Men Minimize Incontinence After
New Procedure Helps Men Minimize Incontinence After Prostatectomy. NEW YORK, NY -- May 14, 2007 -- Thousands of men facing surgical removal of the prostate

Total Incontinence Secondary to Sphincter Destruction after
We report a case of total urinary incontinence secondary to sphincter destruction after prostate. cryotherapy for recurrent prostatic carcinoma in a

prostate cancer and incontinence
Incontinence after prostate surgery can be due to stress, urge or mixed UI. In men, stress incontinence can occur as a result of intrinsic urethral

Exercises may help with incontinence after prostate surgery
Exercises may help with incontinence after prostate surgery from Mens Health Advisor in Health provided free by Find Articles.

Healthful Life: E-newsletter
Impotence and urinary incontinence after prostate surgery - how big a problem? (March 2001). Two strikingly different reports by well-respected groups were

Overflow Incontinence after Prostate Cancer
men experience urge incontinence after prostate cancer treatment.

Urology : POS-02.74: Detrusor overactivity after prostate
Detrusoroveractivity still being a pathophysiological finding before and after prostate resection often causes incontinence in the early period (8 weeks)

Quick, innovative procedure helps men minimize incontinence after
Thousands of men facing surgical removal of the prostate due to cancer may someday have procedure helps men minimize incontinence after prostate surgery

Prostate - Incontinence after Prostate Cancer Surgery - How Long
I had surgery in Febuary of 2007 for prostate cancer. I have had incontinence problems since. When can I expect it to stop? (or will it ever?

University Of Florida Surgeons Pioneer Procedure To Prevent
Incontinence plagues as many as 1 in 4 men after prostate surgery, in part because the bladder shifts to fill the 2- to 4-centimeter space left after the

Prostate Cancer Survivors Who Suffer From Urinary Incontinence
"I believe there are many men who have a 'nuisance' level of urinary incontinence after prostate cancer treatment which is bothersome during strenuous

Top 12 Urinary Incontinence Questions - Depend.com
After Linwood Wright, 68, of Danville, Va., had his prostate removed following a diagnosis of prostate cancer, he suffered from incontinence that he thought

University of Florida News - UF Pioneers Procedure To Prevent
UF Pioneers Procedure To Prevent Incontinence After Prostate Surgery Incontinence plagues as many as 1 in 4 men after prostate surgery, in part because

ACS :: Managing Incontinence
Managing Incontinence. Managing Incontinence After Prostate Cancer Treatment Some men develop incontinence after being treated for prostate cancer.

Urinary problems after prostate cancer
Sometimes men have temporary incontinence after prostate surgery or radiotherapy. So the problem may get better with time. But you will still have to manage

Treatments for incontinence after prostate surgery
There are three main types of incontinence that can affect men after prostate cancer treatment: stress incontinence, urge incontinence and total


incontinence after prostate
pathology prostate cancer
prostate cancer cure rates
male milking prostate
nerve sparing prostate