what options do i have in the treatment of prostate cancer

Symptoms

In Prostate Cancer Breakthroughs, best-selling author Dr. Jay Cohen ... prostate cancer do not need surgery or radiation treatment. Prostate Cancer Breakthroughs tells you how to determine what your options are. In the words of one reviewer, "This book ...

Causes

The main types of doctors who treat prostate cancer include:

• Urologist: A surgeons who treat diseases of the urinary system and male reproductive system (including the prostate)
• Radiation oncologist: A doctor who treats cancer with radiation therapy
• Medical oncologist: A doctor who treats cancer with medicines such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy

Prevention

For men diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer, treatment may not be necessary right away. Some men may never need treatment. Instead, doctors sometimes recommend active surveillance. In active surveillance, regular follow-up blood tests, rectal exams and possibly biopsies may be performed to monitor progression of your cancer.

Complications

Trials of cryotherapy, which uses extreme cold rather than heat to destroy cancerous cells in the gland, are also continuing, although they are not as advanced. Like HIFU, cryotherapy can be focused on the cancerous cells in the prostate, leaving the healthy part relatively unscathed.

What are the best options for treating prostate cancer?

How beneficial are alternative treatments for prostate cancer?

Do I have to start treatment right away for prostate cancer?

Which prostate cancer treatment is best?

What is the preferred treatment for prostate cancer?

Radiation therapy (external-beam or brachytherapy) or surgery may also be suggested, as well as treatment in clinical trials. For those with a higher Gleason score, the cancer may be faster growing, so radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy are often recommended.

What is the newest treatment for prostate cancer?

The treatment, called 177Lu-PSMA-617, uses a molecule that selectively seeks out and attaches to a specific protein on the cancer cell surface called PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen). The technology delivers radiation that damages DNA and destroys the cancer cell.

What is the gold standard for prostate cancer treatment?

Radical prostatectomy remains the gold-standard treatment for clinically localised prostate cancer. Cumulative data suggest that it has a survival advantage over radiotherapy, but it is troubled by surgical morbidity especially erectile dysfunction and incontinence.

Is surgery better than radiotherapy for prostate cancer?

With either treatment, the chance of your cancer spreading is low. Both treatments have side effects, such as bladder, bowel, and erection problems. Radiation therapy is more likely to cause bowel problems. Surgery is more likely to cause leaking urine or erection problems.

Which Treatments Are Used For Prostate Cancer?

Depending on each case, treatment options for men with prostate cancer might include: 1. Watchful waiting or active surveillance 2. Surgery 3. Radi...

Which Doctors Treat Prostate Cancer?

The main types of doctors who treat prostate cancer include: 1. Urologists: surgeons who treat diseases of the urinary system and male reproductive...

Making Treatment Decisions

It’s important to discuss all of your treatment options, including their goals and possible side effects, with your doctors to help make the decisi...

Help Getting Through Treatment

Your cancer care team will be your first source of information and support, but there are other resources for help when you need it. Hospital- or c...

What is the best stage for prostate cancer?

Most cancers are graded from stage 1 to 4 in level of severity, ...

What is the Gleason score for prostate removal?

Surgical prostate removal, or prostatectomy, is an option for men with a Gleason Score of 7 or higher when the cancer has not spread beyond the prostate. Most surgeries are performed robotically using the Da Vinci surgical system.

Can radiation cause erectile dysfunction?

However, because the areas around the prostate are also exposed to radiation, the neurovascular bundles also get radiated. This can cause unpredictable erectile function, including a total loss of the ability to achieve and maintain an erection. Radiation is a good option for older men and those unable to have surgery.

What is the procedure to remove prostate cancer?

Surgery. A prostatectomy is an operation where doctors remove the prostate. Radical prostatectomy removes the prostate as well as the surrounding tissue. Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer. There are two types of radiation therapy—. External radiation therapy.

What is the best way to monitor prostate cancer?

Closely monitoring the prostate cancer by performing prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal exam (DRE) tests and prostate biopsies regularly , and treating the cancer only if it grows or causes symptoms. Surgery.

How does ultrasound help with cancer?

High-intensity focused ultrasound. This therapy directs high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) at the cancer to kill cancer cells.

What kind of doctor is best for early stage cancer?

For early-stage cancers, it is natural for surgical specialist s, such as urologists, to favor surgery and for radiation oncologists to lean more toward radiation therapy. Doctors specializing in newer types of treatment may be more likely to recommend their therapies.

Can prostate cancer spread?

For most men diagnosed with prostate cancer, the cancer is found while it's still at an early stage -- it's small and has not spread beyond the prostate gland. These men often have several treatment options to consider.

How to treat prostate cancer?

Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill rapidly growing cells, including cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered through a vein in your arm, in pill form or both. Chemotherapy may be a treatment option for treating prostate cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.

What is the best way to monitor prostate cancer?

In active surveillance, regular follow-up blood tests, rectal exams and prostate biopsies may be performed to monitor progression of your cancer. If tests show your cancer is progressing, you may opt for a prostate cancer treatment such as surgery or radiation.

How does cryoablation work for prostate cancer?

Cryoablation or cryotherapy for prostate cancer involves using a very cold gas to freeze the prostate tissue. The tissue is allowed to thaw and the procedure repeats. The cycles of freezing and thawing kill the cancer cells and some surrounding healthy tissue. Heating prostate tissue.

Why is hormone therapy used for prostate cancer?

Hormone therapy is often used to treat advanced prostate cancer to shrink the cancer and slow its growth. Hormone therapy is sometimes used before radiation therapy to treat cancer that hasn't spread beyond the prostate. It helps shrink the cancer and increases the effectiveness of radiation therapy.

What tests are done to determine if prostate cancer is spread?

If your doctor suspects your cancer may have spread beyond your prostate, one or more of the following imaging tests may be recommended: Bone scan. Ultrasound. Computerized tomography (CT) scan.

What is the most common scale used to evaluate prostate cancer?

The most common scale used to evaluate the grade of prostate cancer cells is called a Gleason score . Gleason scoring combines two numbers and can range from 2 (nonaggressive cancer) to 10 (very aggressive cancer), though the lower part of the range isn't used as often.

What is the next step in a biopsy?

When a biopsy confirms the presence of cancer, the next step is to determine the level of aggressiveness (grade) of the cancer cells. A doctor in a lab examines a sample of your cancer cells to determine how much cancer cells differ from the healthy cells.

What is standard of care for prostate cancer?

This section explains the types of treatments that are the standard of care for prostate cancer. “Standard of care” means the best treatments known. When making treatment plan decisions, you are encouraged to consider clinical trials as an option.

What to do if prostate cancer gets worse?

If the cancer is found to be worsening, treatment will begin. Active surveillance is usually preferred for those with very-low-risk and low-risk prostate cancer that can be treated with surgery or radiation therapy if it shows signs of getting worse.

How does chemotherapy help prostate cancer?

Chemotherapy may help those with advanced or castration-resistant prostate cancer and those with newly diagnosed or castration-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer.

How long does it take for prostate cancer to grow?

Early-stage prostate cancer usually grows very slowly and may take years to cause any symptoms or other health problems, if it ever does at all. As a result, active surveillance or watchful waiting may be recommended. Radiation therapy (external-beam or brachytherapy) or surgery may also be suggested, as well as treatment in clinical trials. For those with a higher Gleason score, the cancer may be faster growing, so radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy are often recommended. Your doctor will consider your age and general health before recommending a treatment plan.

How to treat prostate cancer with radioactive substance?

Radium-223 (Xofigo) is a radioactive substance used to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer that has spread to the bone. Radium-223 is an alpha-emitter radionucleotide that mimics calcium and targets areas in the bone where the cancer is causing changes. This treatment delivers radiation particles directly to tumors found in the bone, limiting damage to healthy tissue, including the bone marrow, where normal blood cells are made. Radium-223 is given by intravenous injection (IV) once a month for 6 months. This treatment is given by a radiation oncologist or a nuclear medicine doctor. Your medical oncologist should continue to follow your progress during this treatment to make sure the treatment is helping and that any potential side effects are managed. Treatment with radium-233 does not dependably lower PSA, so patients should not expect to see big decreases in PSA levels during treatment and, in fact, often PSA levels may rise.

How long does it take for a person to get a definitive treatment for prostate cancer?

People with intermediate-risk prostate cancer should receive hormonal therapy for at least 4 to 6 months. Those with high-risk prostate cancer should receive it for 24 to 36 months.

What is it called when you talk to your doctor about prostate cancer?

In addition, it is important to discuss your doctor's experience with treating prostate cancer. These types of talks are called "shared decision making .". Shared decision making is when you and your doctors work together to choose treatments that fit the goals of your care.

What is done after prostate cancer diagnosis?

After prostate cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the prostate or to other parts of the body.

Why is it important to know the stage of prostate cancer?

The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. The results of the tests used to diagnose prostate cancer are often also used to stage the disease. (See the General Information section .)

What is the purpose of a transrectal biopsy?

A biopsy is done to diagnose prostate cancer and find out the grade of the cancer (Gleason score). A transrectal biopsy is used to diagnose prostate cancer. A transrectal biopsy is the removal of tissue from the prostate by inserting a thin needle through the rectum and into the prostate.

What is the most common cancer in older men?

Anatomy of the male reproductive and urinary systems, showing the prostate, testicles, bladder, and other organs. Prostate cancer is most common in older men. In the U.S., about 1 out of 5 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

What are the signs of prostate cancer?

Signs of prostate cancer include a weak flow of urine or frequent urination. Tests that examine the prostate and blood are used to diagnose prostate cancer.

Is metastatic cancer the same as primary cancer?

The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body. The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if prostate cancer spreads to the bone, the cancer cells in the bone are actually prostate cancer cells.

Do clinical trials include patients who have not received treatment?

Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment . Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.

What are the major types of prostate cancer treatments?

For people with localized prostate cancer, there are four main treatment options:

Is it normal to combine different treatment methods?

It’s common to combine different treatment methods to treat prostate cancer. In fact, sometimes combination therapy is the “standard of care.” This means the treatments should always be combined to provide the best possible outcomes. Let’s take a look at when you should expect combination therapy as standard of care.

Which prostate cancer treatments are the most effective?

The most effective treatment depends on your specific situation. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

The bottom line

There are many treatments for prostate cancer. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and active surveillance. Healthcare teams often use these treatments together for the best outcomes. The therapy that’s right for you depends on your prostate cancer’s risk class and your own treatment goals.

What is the best treatment for prostate cancer?

Active surveillance, surgery, and radiation therapy are the standard therapy choices for men with early-stage prostate cancer (see Types of Treatment, starting on page 8). Each has benefits (how treatments can help) and risks (problems treatment may cause). There is seldom just one right treatment choice.

What is the purpose of the prostate cancer booklet?

Its purpose is to help you learn about early-stage prostate cancer, different treatments, and the benefits and risks of each type of treatment. Most men will need more information than this booklet gives them to make a decision about treatment. For a list of groups that provide more information and support, please see the Ways to Learn More section on page 32. Also, see that section if you have prostate cancer that has spread beyond the prostate or that has returned after treatment.

How long does it take for a prostate cancer to grow?

Early-stage prostate cancer means that cancer cells are found only in your prostate. Compared with many other cancers, prostate cancer grows slowly. This means that it can take 10 to 30 years before a prostate tumor gets big enough to cause symptoms or for doctors to find it. Most men who have prostate cancer will die of something other than prostate cancer.

Can you choose prostate cancer treatment?

As a man with early-stage prostate cancer, you will be able to choose which kind of treatment is best for you . And while it is good to have choices, this fact can make the decision hard to make. Yet, each choice has benefits (how treatment can help) and risks (problems treatment may cause).

What is the treatment for prostate cancer?

Recurrent prostate cancer treatment is called second-line or salvage therapy. Treatments aim to do one of two things: get rid of your cancer (curative) or slow it down (control). Curative treatments include: Radiation therapy. It uses high-energy X-ray beams to kill cancer cells.

What is the best treatment for recurrent prostate cancer?

Your doctor might recommend one of these treatments: Sipuleucel-T ( Provenge ). This is a prostate cancer vaccine. It boosts your immune system response to help it attack cancer cells. Immunotherapy.

Why does prostate cancer return?

Prostate cancer returns for a couple of reasons: Some cancer cells were left behind after surgery or radiation therapy. Cancer cells had already spread to your lymph nodes or other organs before you had surgery. A prostate cancer recurrence is often treatable. It may even be curable.

What is the best treatment for cancer?

Immunotherapy. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) takes the brakes off of your immune system so that it can fight the cancer better. Targeted therapy. Olaparib ( Lynparza) and Rucaparib (Rubraca) are drugs called PARP inhibitors.

What does it mean to be monitored for cancer?

If your PSA level hasn't risen much and you're not at high risk of the cancer spreading, "active surveillance ” could be an option. Active surveillance means your doctor will monitor your cancer with regular PSA tests. If it starts to grow or cause symptoms, then you'll start on a treatment.

Can you have radiation therapy for prostate cancer?

When the cancer is only in your prostate: If you had surgery before: You can now have radiation therapy, sometimes combined with hormone therapy. Or you might get hormone therapy on its own.

Can a PSA test show cancer?

Regular PSA testing is one way your doctor monitors you for a recurrence. This test can't show for sure that your cancer is back. Your doctor can do a biopsy to confirm that your cancer has returned, or a CT or MRI scan to see if it has spread.

Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Alternative Medicine

Coping and Support

Preparing For Your Appointment