Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer General Information

Prostate Cancer Symptoms

Prostate Cancer Treatment

When dealing with Prostate Cancer, an important factor is the moment when the patient starts seeking for medical advice. Because this cancer is usually asymptomatic in its first stages, the complications that can develop in time are really dangerous and can threaten the patient’s life. We strongly advise you to call your health care provider as soon as you start experiencing any of the signs and symptoms specific for this medical disorder. Also, if you do not complain of any irregularities, you should do a regular screening to see if you are completely healthy. Discovering this type of cancer in due time and treating it properly, may significantly increase your chances for recovery and for a better life. The first signs of a problem may appear during a routine test, for example DRE (digital rectal exam), PSA (prostate specific antigen), prostate biopsy or transrectal ultrasound. If you are diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, the doctor will want to determine how much the cancer has spread and to do this, he will perform a computerized tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound, biopsy of the lymph nodes, bone scan or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

After establishing the exact diagnosis, the doctor can proceed with applying the right treatment option. There are several methods to cure the Prostate Cancer. If needed, in some cases, the specialists will recommend a combination of therapies, for example radiation paired with hormone replacing or surgery followed by radiation. What treatment will work best for each male patient is questionable. In order to decide this, the health care provider will analyze the following factors: the growth speed of the cancer, the life and age expectancy, the benefits and the potential adverse effects of the respective treatment. The most common therapies used to cure Prostate Cancer are: EBRT (external beam radiation therapy), radioactive seed implants, hormone therapy, radical prostatectomy (retropubic surgery and perineal surgery), RALRP (robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy), chemotherapy, gene therapy, immune therapy and cryotherapy. EBRT uses X-rays that will kill the cancerous cells; it exist the possibility that the adjacent healthy tissues to be scared. This type of therapy is given for about ten weeks, three days a week; each appointment takes only ten minutes. The side effects that may arise are minimal and they disappear shortly after the course of treatment is over.

A very popular treatment for Prostate Cancer is the radioactive seed implants using some implants called brachytherapy that deliver higher doses of radiation than in other cases. Because the male sex hormones testosterone stimulates the growth of the cancerous cells, a hormone therapy may sometimes be the ideal solution. Doctors usually use this method combined with drug treatment and more often in the earlier stages so that the consequent surgery or radiation destroys the cancer cells more easily and rapidly. The drugs used in this treatment option include Zoladex (Goserelin), Viadur or Lupron (Leuprolide) administrated under the skin or by intramuscular injection once every two to four months. Anti-androgens are some medications that stop testosterone reaching the cancer cells: Nilandron (Nilutamide) or Casodex (Bicalutamide).