Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Cancer is one word that causes dread in the mind of the patient and his or her loved ones. However, with the advances made by science, it is now possible to beat back the disease especially in the case of prostrate cancer where progression of the disease is quite slow. There are different choices of treatment of prostrate cancer based on the level of the disease and the physical condition of the patient. Here are some of the options that doctors might consider putting into action.

Surgery

If the doctors determine that the tumor is organ confined, i.e. restricted only to the prostate gland or locally advanced, i.e. it has spread only to the local surrounding areas then they might opt for surgery. However, many other forms of treatment could also be used along with surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer so as to eliminate all remaining cancerous cells from the patient’s body. If the cancer has not spread far and wide then surgery can contain the cancer and other treatments could then be initiated to wipe off any remaining cells.

Hormonal Therapy

If the cancer has reached a slightly advanced stage then hormonal treatment could be initiated to provide relief and freedom from the disease. In hormonal therapy, drugs that can release hormones are administered to the patient and this provides almost instantaneous relief. The testicles of the patient might also be surgically removed in certain cases. Hormonal therapy is followed only if the patient is hormone sensitive and in case the patient becomes hormone resistant then chemotherapy would need to be initiated for a fighting chance in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is when one or more drugs are administered in the form of oral medicines or through intravenous lines in a bid to destroy the cancer cells in the patient’s body. Often, the cancer might have become too aggressive and chemotherapy could be the only way to try and stop the disease in its tracks. However, chemotherapy attacks normal cells along with cancerous cells and is hence used only when other choices are not feasible for the treatment of prostate cancer, or even after surgery so as to destroy any remaining cancer cells from the patient’s body. If the disease has reached the metastatic stage, i.e. if it has reached other vital organs such as the lungs or liver then any hope for a cure is dim and the treatment is mostly aimed at providing relief to the patient and slowing down the growth of the cancer.

Radiation

Radiation can be applied internally through radioactive pills or radioactive drugs through intravenous lines so as to destroy cancer cells. However, in certain cases including breast cancer, the treatment can also be done by focusing radioactive rays externally on the affected organ. Radiation too is often done after surgery to eliminate any rogue cancer cells and the patient would need to visit the hospital for radiation sessions that last around 6 weeks.

Other choices for the treatment of prostate cancer include alternative treatments such as acupuncture and herbal treatments, among several others. But the reliability of such treatments warrants longer research, which has not been done till now. Doctors are the best judges that can choose the right form of treatment of prostate cancer after studying the patient’s case in great detail. Most treatments are used in combination with other treatments so as to completely eliminate the cancer cells and to prevent re-occurrence of the disease in the future.