Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

Prostate cancer is a specifically male cancer as it involves the prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system. The prostate gland is located between the bladder and rectum and is responsible for the production of seminal fluid. Prostate cancer treatment options depend on how advanced the cancer is.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty urinating and erectile dysfunction, although early prostate cancer may cause no symptoms at all. It is most frequent in men of fifty and is most often diagnosed in men in their seventies.

Diagnosis is through a physical examination or by blood tests. One of these blood tests is called the PSA test. PSA stands for prostate specific antigen, and it is this antigen that they are looking for in the blood. A confirmed case of prostate cancer will be confirmed by taking a biopsy.

If the cancer is contained within the prostate gland then there are two treatment options. The cancer can be treated with radiation therapy, which is the use of x-rays to kill cancer cells. The cancer can also be removed by surgery called radical prostatectomy.

A radical prostatectomy involves the removal of the entire prostate gland and usually the nearby lymph nodes, under general anaesthesia. The lymph nodes are then checked to see if the cancer has spread, known as metastasizing. There is a risk with prostate cancer of it metastasizing to other parts of the body, especially to the bones and the lymph nodes.

With both types of treatment there is a chance that the cancer will reoccur, however incidence of reoccurrence are less with the radical prostatectomy than with the radiation therapy. Careful consideration to the benefits and side effects of both treatments must be given so that you get the best treatment option for you.

If the cancer has metastasized beyond the prostate gland then hormone treatment can be given. Male hormones, called androgens, can be associated with accelerated growth of the tumour. Therefore if hormones are restricted the growth of the tumour can be slowed down. Androgens such as testosterone are produced in the testicles, so the testicles are sometimes removed as part of hormone treatment.

The final treatment for prostate cancer is called ‘watchful waiting’. This involves regular check ups and monitoring by your doctor to keep a check on the tumour’s growth. Your doctor will perform a physical examination and take blood tests, such as the PSA test.

With all types of treatment for prostate cancer the patient will need to weigh up the pros and cons and discuss the side effects of the different treatments with his doctor. A decision can then be taken on which course of treatment to take, or whether to undertake a period of ‘watchful waiting’ before deciding which of the prostate cancer treatment options to follow.