Choosing the Right Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Comprehensive Guide

The stage of the cancer determines the type of prostate cancer treatment the oncologist will provide. This treatment can offer a multi-layered approach, ranging in levels of invasiveness. However, no matter what stage you are in, the earlier we can provide medical intervention, the better your chances of remission.

The ultimate guide to prostate cancer treatment

Determining the stage of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer staging can be complex to understand. That is why oncologists, or cancer specialists, often refer to a staging system. Currently, the most widely used staging system for prostate cancer is the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system. It provides five pieces of information:

1. The extent of the tumor
2. Whether the disease has spread to the lymph nodes
3. Whether the disease has metastasized to other parts of the body
4. The prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, level
5. The likelihood of the cancer cells to multiply, grow, or spread to other areas of the body

From here, the oncologist can determine if the patient is in the I, IIA, IIB, IIC, IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IVA, or IVB stage. Due to their complexity, the oncologist will explain the specifics of the patient's prostate cancer stage during an appointment.

Prostate cancer treatment options

Prostate cancer treatment plans will vary depending on the patient's stage of cancer and whether or not it has spread to other areas of the body. The oncologist can incorporate any of the following interventions into a plan:

Ablative treatments

Ablative treatments focus on the prostate glands, whether the portion where the cancer is thought to be or the complete gland. These treatments can include focal therapy, cryotherapy, and high-intense focused ultrasound (HIFU). They use extreme temperatures, either hot or cold, to destroy prostate tissue with cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

According to the American Cancer Society, or ACS, oncologists typically employ chemotherapy for those with advanced prostate cancer. Chemotherapy is often the most thought treatment for any form of cancer. It involves using "anti-cancer" drugs to destroy fast-growing cancer cells in the body. In this case, the prostate glands and anywhere else the cancer may have spread, such as to the muscles or bones. Oncologists can deliver chemotherapy in the form of injections, pills, or creams.

Hormone therapy

Also called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), hormone therapy aims to reduce levels of androgens in the body, which help fuel prostate cancer cell growth. Note that this therapy is always used in conjunction with other prostate cancer treatments, as it does not cure the disease independently. The drugs used within the therapy only lower androgen levels for some time, slowing the cancer cells' growth rate.

The oncologist can perform hormone therapy through an orchiectomy, also called surgical castration. While seen as a surgery, the ACS states its main effect is a form of hormone therapy. It involves removing the testicles, which is where the majority of the androgens are produced, to shrink or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells.

They can also introduce luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, or LHRH, agonists into a prostate cancer treatment plan. These drugs, which the oncologist will inject into the body, aim to lower the amount of testosterone and androgen levels produced in the testicles. While no surgery is involved, this form of hormone therapy is sometimes called medical castration due to the testicles remaining in place but shrinking over time.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy uses various medicines to strengthen a patient's immune system to better recognize and kill cancer cells. It also uses checkpoint inhibitors to prevent the immune system from killing normal or healthy cells. These checkpoints are proteins on immune cells that activate or deactivate the immune response.

Radiation therapy

There are three types of radiation therapy: external beam radiation (EBRT), brachytherapy, and radiopharmaceuticals. EBRT uses radiation beams to focus on the prostate glands from outside the body and is typically employed for the early stages of prostate cancer. Brachytherapy, also called seed implantation, involves inserting tiny radioactive pellets or seeds into the prostate. Oncologists will also use it for the early stages of prostate cancer. Lastly, radiopharmaceuticals are medications that contain radioactive elements. The oncologist injects them into the vein, allowing the medication to travel through the bloodstream in search of cancer cells that spread outside the prostate.

Targeted drug therapy

Though it may seem similar to other prostate cancer treatments on this list, targeted drug therapy searches the body and attacks specific parts of cancer cells that make them different from other cells. Often, the oncologist will employ this therapy when others do not appear to be effective. However, like other therapies, targeted drug therapy enters the bloodstream to reach many areas in the body, effectively reaching cancer cells that spread outside the prostate.

Schedule a consultation

Prostate cancer is too big a battle to fight alone. That is why we tailor prostate cancer treatment plans for each patient in or around the Marlton area to better chances of remission. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with this disease, contact the Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center office today to schedule a consultation.

Request an appointment here: https://lindenbergcancer.com or call Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center at (856) 475-0876 for an appointment in our Marlton office.

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