Treatment of Prostate Cancer

DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATE CANCER :

Digital rectal examination (DRE)
PSA blood test
Prostate biopsy
CT (computerized axial tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and bone scans can help your doctor see how far the cancer has spread (if at all).



TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER :

Your treatment for prostate cancer will depend on a number of factors such as your age and whether the cancer has spread and if so, how far. There are a number of treatments which are described below.


Active MONITORING of Prostate Cancer -
Sometimes, particularly for slow-growing tumors, no treatment is the best course of action. This is often called active monitoring or watchful waiting. Your condition will be monitored closely with routine check-ups. You can start treatment at any time and will be advised to do so if tests show the cancer is growing.


SURGERY of Prostate Cancer -
Surgery is a common treatment for prostate cancer. It is most suitable for otherwise healthy men (usually, those under 70) whose cancer has not spread beyond the prostate.
The most common technique is a radical prostatectomy. This is a major operation, which removes the whole of the prostate, seminal vesicles and nearby lymph nodes.


RADIOTHERAPY for Prostate Cancer-
Newer techniques that are used for treating prostate cancer with radiotherapy include conformal radiotherapy (CRT) or high-resolution intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Conformal radiotherapy shapes the radiation beams to match the shape of the prostate. This reduces the radiation received by the healthy surrounding cells in nearby organs such as the bladder and rectum. This lowers the side-effects and may allow higher doses to be given which could be more effective. IMRT allows the radiotherapist to vary the dose of radiotherapy given to the tumour and surrounding tissue.



BRACHY THERAPY for Prostate Cancer -
Brachytherapy involves implanting radioactive seeds into, or next to, the tumour in your prostate. Radiation can be released slowly over time. The seeds lose their radioactivity over about a year. Brachytherapy is more effective if the tumour is small and you have early prostate cancer.



HORMONE THERAPY for Prostate Cancer -
Hormone therapy blocks the action of male sex hormones that help cancer grow. This can slow the growth and spread of prostate tumors but will not kill the cancer cells.


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Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy in men over the age of 50. It is due to the abnormal proliferation of prostatic tissue cells. It is often a slow-growing cancer and remains localized at first. Later, it may extend as it spreads to nearby tissues and organs and then metastasizes to other more distant organs (lymph nodes, bones, lungs, etc.) via the bloodstream and the lymphatic system.



CAUSES OF PROSTATE CANCER :

The cause of prostate cancer isn't fully understood at present. But there are certain factors that make prostate cancer more likely : age > 50, family history of cancer, Race i.e. If you are African-Caribbean or African-American you are at highest risk and / or a high fat diet.



SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE CANCER :

Prostate cancer often has no symptoms, particularly in the early stages.

Some men may never have any symptoms or problems from the disease. Some types of prostate cancer can be slow-growing and may not become a serious threat to your health. Whereas others are a faster-growing and aggressive form and can be more harmful.

You are more likely to get symptoms if and when your cancer grows in the prostate gland and narrows the urethra. Symptoms then include:

1. problems urinating such as difficulty in starting to pass urine, a weak, sometimes intermittent flow of urine, dribbling of urine before and after urinating, a frequent or urgent need to pass urine or a need to get up several times in the night to urinate
2. a feeling that your bladder is not completely empty
3. pain when you orgasm


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