What Treatment Options are Available for Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is among the most common cancers that affect men. A cancer that occurs in the prostate, the small seminal fluid producing gland, prostate cancer can vary in terms of severity. While some prostate cancers may require minimal treatment and grow slowly, others may grow very quickly and require aggressive treatment to prevent spreading.

What treatment options are available for prostate cancer?

Despite being common and sometimes aggressive, prostate cancer is treatable, and early detection can help prevent spreading to the rest of the body. Here are several treatment options available to patients with prostate cancer:

Radical prostatectomy

Some forms of prostate cancer may not be treatable with medicine or radiation alone and will require full removal of the prostate gland. This process is known as radical prostatectomy, in which a surgery is performed to remove the prostate gland as well as surrounding lymph nodes and affected tissue. Prostate cancer surgery can be performed by a surgeon or by a surgeon-operated robot. Traditionally a minimally invasive surgery, this procedure can fully remove the cancerous area, preventing the further spread of cancer.

Hormone therapy

Prostate cancer cells feed off of testosterone, the male hormone naturally produced in the body. Hormone therapy inhibits the testosterone from making contact with the prostate cancer cells, either starving them out or radically reducing the rate at which they reproduce.

There are several types of hormone therapy for suppressing testosterone, such as the use of medications (i.e. Zoladex) that prevent the testicles from producing testosterone. Medication like Casodex does not stop the creation of testosterone but instead blocks the testosterone from making contact with prostate cancer cells. In some cases, hormone therapy may include the removal of the testicles to prevent the further production of testosterone.

Radiation

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-powered concentrated energy to kill prostate cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be administered using an external radiation therapy beam, or by having radiation seeds placed within the prostate tissue. External beam radiation requires frequent sessions over the course of several weeks. During each session, patients lie still on a table while having radiation administered in much the same way an x-ray would be done.

Implanting radiation seeds, also known as brachytherapy, involves having minuscule radioactive seeds inserted into the prostate using a long needle. These seeds release a concentrated dose of radiation, enough to eradicate cancer cells. Since the radioactive seeds will eventually stop releasing radiation, they do not need to be removed after treatment.

Chemotherapy

More aggressive/rapidly growing prostate cancer may require chemotherapy treatment. Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to kill fast-growing cancer cells. Patients requiring chemotherapy to treat their prostate cancer often experience a spread of cancer from the prostate into other areas of the body. Chemotherapy is either administered in liquid form through a vein in the arm or orally as a pill.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery treatment involves freezing prostate tissue in order to kill prostate cancer cells. Administered through a needle, cold gas is applied to the affected tissues. Next, a second gas is used to reheat the tissue. By freezing and thawing the affected prostate tissue, the prostate cancer cells are killed. Cryosurgery is a less common option for treating prostate cancer but may be particularly effective in patients who have not responded to radiation therapy.

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

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.

Recent Posts

An Oncologist Discusses The Importance Of Regular Cancer Screenings

Oncologist are known as cancer doctors or specialists who diagnose and treat various types of cancer, meaning people should not wait until there is a suspicion of the disease before scheduling an appointment. In fact, with cancer, timing is of the essence. Patients with any concerns can learn how regular visits to an oncologist can…

Common Gynecological Cancer Treatment Options

Gynecological cancer treatment focuses on removing the tumor or as much of the tumor as possible. After, treatment will pivot to preventing the cancer from returning or recurring. An oncologist will discuss potential treatment options for you, which will depend on the type of cancer, cancer stage and location, and your medical history, among other…

What Is Multiple Myeloma And What Are Your Treatment Options?

Multiple myeloma is a complex cancer that forms in a white blood cell called a plasma cell. Healthy plasma cells help fight infections and make antibodies to find and attack germs. When someone has multiple myeloma, cancerous cells build up in the bone marrow, crowding out the plasma cells and leading to health complications. While…

Prostate Cancer Treatment Options From An Oncologist

Understanding one's prostate cancer treatment options is a vital part of easing anxiety about the diagnosis and making informed care decisions. Those newly diagnosed must sort through a lot of information; our oncology team is here to help. This brief overview of how prostate cancer treatment works aims to help patients make sense of their…

Recent Posts

An Oncologist Discusses The Importance Of Regular Cancer Screenings

An Oncologist Discusses The Importance Of Regular Cancer Screenings

Oncologist are known as cancer doctors or specialists who diagnose and treat various types of cancer, meaning people should not wait until there is a suspicion of the disease before scheduling an appointment. In fact, with cancer, timing is of the essence. Patients with any concerns can learn how regular visits to an oncologist can…

Common Gynecological Cancer Treatment Options

Common Gynecological Cancer Treatment Options

Gynecological cancer treatment focuses on removing the tumor or as much of the tumor as possible. After, treatment will pivot to preventing the cancer from returning or recurring. An oncologist will discuss potential treatment options for you, which will depend on the type of cancer, cancer stage and location, and your medical history, among other…