Cancer of Prostate

What are the different types of prostate therapy on offer? The answer is, there are several. There is more than one way to successfully treat cancer of prostate, and in some men it may even be found that a combination of treatments is the best way. The course of treatment taken depends on factors such as how fast the tumor is growing, how far it has spread, the patients age, state of health and his life expectancy.

There are four main types of treatments that can be used, singly or in combination:

Watchful Waiting or Deferred Therapy-
This involves the careful monitoring of the progression of the tumor without  giving any treatment until symptoms call for other treatment. Because the prostate cancer is often small and grows slowly, many times it is not necessary to treat it. You just have to see the doctor frequently for the appropriate blood tests, rectal exams and biopsies. If the symptoms change sufficiently to warrant treatment then hormone therapy can be begun to check growth of the tumor.

Surgery –
This is also known as radical prostatectomy, this involves the removal of the prostate, as long as the cancer has not spread outside of the prostate. This is the most effective cure for prostate cancer

Radiation therapy-
This type of prostate therapy uses high energy radiation and there are basically 2 types of radiation: external radiation therapy that sends radiation by machine towards the body, and internal radiation therapy where radioactive seeds or pellets are placed directly into the cancer area. This is a good method for a cancer that is recurrent.

Hormone therapy-
In hormone therapy, drugs,surgery or other hormones are used to reduce the production of male hormones or stop them from working. Male sex hormones cause the cancer to thrive and by their removal growth of the cancer can be checked.

Other newer types of prostate cancer treatments are:

Cryosurgery or cryotherapy -
This type of treatment involves the freezing of the prostate cancer cells in order to destroy them.

Chemotherapy-
The use of drugs to stop the growth and multiplication of cancer cells. Depending on the the stage of the cancer, chemotherapy will be taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle.

These are the various prostate therapy that are commonly in use today. If you are a patient, one will be suitable for you. Discuss it with your doctor, and get the right treatment.