 |
||
Prostate Cancer Treatment Options"Active Surveillance" is the medical term for watching a patient's cancer, but not taking action until the condition worsens or expands. Active Surveillance is used when a patient may not be able to undergo treatment because of complications from other conditions, or is otherwise unable to receive cancer treatment. The most direct route to end prostate problems is to remove the entire prostate, a procedure known as a prostatectomy. An incision is made behind the pubic bone and a portion of the prostate or the entire gland itself is removed. The urethra is then connected directly to the bladder, but a catheter is often necessary in order to allow the patient's body time to adapt to the new setup of its urinary system. Without resorting to invasive surgery, radiation therapy can treat prostate cancer from the outside. An MRI or CAT scan is used to plot the exact location of the tumor or affected cells, and intense bursts of x-rays are used to destroy these cells. Intensity modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT, is a form of radiation that can be used to full effect on the majority of the cancer cells, but can be toned back to lessen the danger to cells in proximity to the bladder or rectum. Brachytherapy is another form of radiation therapy, albeit one that involves actually inserting objects into the body. Radioactive pellets are injected into the prostate, and the radiation that they emit kills the cancer-infected cells. After a period of time, the radioactivity of these "seeds" fades, and the leftover pellets are completely harmless. Another technique is called hormone therapy, and involves restricting the amount of testosterone that the body produces or that is directed to help the prostate gland grow. The most extreme version of this procedure is called orchiectomy, and involves actually removing the testicles. Since they produce ninety-percent of the body's testosterone, this method is very effective, but considering that the testicles must be removed, most men opt for another procedure. There are also drugs that halt production of testosterone derivatives, but these are not as effective as an orchiectomy, and some may have to be administered in frequent injections. As with other forms of cancer, chemotherapy is also an option. However, up until fairly recently, chemotherapy was considered only as an option for men who have stopped responding to other prostate cancer treatments. New studies are being conducted using chemotherapy drugs that have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in a new capacity specifically to fight prostate cancer. Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is by no means a small matter, but with modern surgery and medicine, there are many different options, and one's chances for survival are extremely high.
|
PROSTATE PROBLEMS (home)
Radical Prostate Cancer Treatment
Prostate Cancer Chemotherapy Herbal Remedies For Prostate Cancer BPH Treatment Options Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy Prostate Cancer Treatment Choices Saw Palmetto For Prostate Problems Staging And Grading Prostate Cancer   by Robert J. Marckini Amazon Price: $18.00 Customer Review: Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is difficult enough. Deciding on the right treatment can be down right excruciating. In some respects, choosing a treatment for early stage prostate cancer is like buying a car except tha...  by Roger Mason Amazon Price: $6.95 Customer Review: I read this book after reading the author's Macrobiotic Diet book. When I read these books I was in intense pain from a gout attack that had dragged on for weeks and wouldn't respond to the usual medical treatment. These go...  by Sheldon Marks Amazon Price: $12.21 Customer Review: I was loaned this book by my Urologist Surgeon before undergoing Radical Prostatectomy 4 weeks ago. I have read the book from cover to cover and have since purchased the book as an ongoing reference. I have found this book ab...  by Peter Grimm, John Blasko, John Sylvester Amazon Price: $11.53 Customer Review: This book is the best I've seen on seed implant therapy, enabling patients to understand it, and answering questions. That's not surprising as the editors, who also co-author several chapters, are among the national leaders ...  by Michael J. Dattoli, Jennifer Cash, Don Kaltenbach Amazon Price: $18.95 Customer Review: I found this book to be very helpful in examining the pros/cons of various radiation treatments for prostate cancer, as opposed to surgery. While the book is decidedly biased for radiation treatment, I found that the statisti... |
|
|
No personal medical advice about prostate problems is intended. |
||
