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.

prevention of prostate cancer
Prostate Cancer Prevention - National Cancer Institute
Expert-reviewed information summary about factors that may influence the risk of developing prostate cancer and about research aimed at the prevention of

Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT): Q&A - National Cancer
In the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT), 25 percent fewer men taking the drug finasteride developed prostate cancer than men not taking the drug.

Prostate Cancer Prevention
Summary of the latest research concerning prostate cancer prevention, detection and treatment.

Prostate cancer prevention: What you can do - CNN.com
Prostate cancer prevention is a "hot" area of medical research â” the focus of several large-scale, long-term studies. This research holds exciting

National Prostate Cancer Coalition: Prostate Cancer Prevention
Prostate Cancer Prevention. You can't prevent prostate cancer just by taking vitamins or supplements, but growing evidence says changing your diet and

Prostate cancer prevention: What you can do - MayoClinic.com
Prostate cancer: There's no sure way to prevent it â” But these steps might help.

Prostate Cancer
Through prostate cancer control initiatives, CDC provides the public, physicians, Content source: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control,

ACS :: Can Prostate Cancer Be Prevented?
The possible effects of selenium and vitamin E on prostate cancer risk are now being studied in the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT).

Preventing Prostate Cancer
Tea, especially green tea, until lately looked promising as part of a prostate cancer prevention daily diet. Most of the evidence, though, came from test

Research into causes and prevention of prostate cancer
This page tells you about research into the causes and prevention of prostate cancer. There is information onDiet and chemopreventionFinding prostate cancer

Prevention of prostate cancer
The largest assessment of the impact of alpha-tocopherol on prostate cancer risk came from the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene (ATBC) Cancer Prevention

Prostate Cancer Prevention (PDQ®)
Give current facts about which men or groups of men would most likely be helped by following prostate cancer prevention methods.

Welcome to APCaP (Alliance for Prostate Cancer Prevention)
Moreover, the emergence of other early intervention methods, such as primary prevention of prostate cancer, is encouraging scientists and health

Prevention Of Prostate Cancer, Osteoporosis In Men Under Study
Preventing prostate cancer and helping men with the disease avoid osteoporosis is the focus of two new clinical trials at the Medical College of Georgia.

Diet And Medications May Assist Prevention Of Prostate Cancer
Recent investigations of medications, diet and the molecular understanding of prostate cancer are defining potential prevention strategies for the disease,

Risk Factors and Prevention of Prostate Cancer
Links to information about the risk factors, diagnosis and prevention of prostate cancer.

MedlinePlus: Prostate Cancer
Can Prostate Cancer Be Prevented?(American Cancer Society); Prostate Cancer (PDQ): Prevention From the National Institutes of Health

Prevention - Prostate Cancer Research Foundation
A growing body of evidence suggests that certain vitamins and minerals may protect against prostate cancer and/or slow its progression.

Learn How to Prevent Prostate Cancer on MedicineNet.com
Prostate Cancer Prevention. Doctors cannot always explain why one person gets cancer The purposes of this summary on prostate cancer prevention are to:


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