This year, more than 232,000 Americans will be diagnosed with prostate
cancer, making it the most common cancer among males. If caught early,
prostate cancer is very treatable and usually curable.
There often are no signs of the disease, but some patients may notice
changes in urinary flow, pain when urinating and blood in the urine. At
routine physicals, doctors usually take blood to check your level of
prostate specific antigen (PSA). If your PSA level is high, your doctor
will remove a small piece of tissue from your prostate to look for
cancer.
If you are diagnosed with cancer that has not spread from the prostate,
the main treatments are external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy
and surgery. Hormone therapy may be added to radiation therapy to
shrink the gland. Hormone therapy stops your body from producing
hormones that stimulate the growth of new cancer cells.
Sometimes, a combination of treatments is the best way to deal with
this type of cancer. Here is an overview of the most common approaches.
* External beam radiation therapy: During this treatment, a radiation
oncologist aims radiation at the tumor to destroy the cancer cells.
Treatments are painless, last about 30 minutes and are scheduled five
days a week for several weeks. You may be able to continue your normal
routines during radiation treatments.
* Brachytherapy: Often called "seed implants," this treatment involves
placing radioactive sources in or just next to the tumor to kill the
cancer cells. The sources may be left in place permanently or
temporarily, depending on the type of cancer and the seeds used.
* Surgery: A doctor operates to remove the cancerous prostate.
* Watchful waiting: If you have a very slow growing type of cancer, you
may be able to monitor your condition and not undergo any treatment.
This option is for older men or men who have other health conditions.
Before undergoing any treatment, talk with several cancer specialists,
including a radiation oncologist, about the options available to you.
