Which Treatment For Prostate Cancer Is Best?

There are a variety of options available for treatment for prostate cancer

, most of which carry serious side effects. A patient should consult with their doctor to determine which form of treatment is necessary, if any. Common forms of treatment include active surveillance, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and biologic therapy. In this article well discuss radiation and hormone therapy.

A patient diagnosed with prostate cancer always has an important decision to make regarding prostate cancer treatment. Do I opt for a procedure such as a surgery that is guaranteed to lower my quality of life for the remainder of my life, or should I take my chances by not treating the cancer in conventional forms? There are many doctors that suggest that alternative treatment for prostate cancer be used instead of conventional forms. Alternative forms of treatment are less invasive, carry few side effects, and may delay the spreading of the cancer. Historically, conventional forms of treatment have been more common. The following describes a few convention forms of treatment for prostate cancer.

Radiation Therapy: There are a number of options when it comes to radiation therapy. The basic idea is that doctors use radioactive waves to target and destroy cancerous cells in the prostate. Radiation therapy is separated into two categories: Internal Radiation Therapy and External Radiation Therapy. A popular form of internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) involves planting small radioactive seeds directly into the prostate. Depending on the type of brachytherapy, these seeds may be removed after several minutes or may be left in permanentlylosing their radioactivity after a short period of time. Internal radiation therapy limits possible damages done to other parts of the body by using external radiation. External radiation therapy involves using a machine to point radioactive beams directly at the prostate. Thus, aiming is important. External radiation therapy must be performed more frequently than internal radiation therapy which is often a one-time procedure. Risks associated with either form of radiation therapy include bladder cancer, rectal cancer, impotence, and urinary problems.

Hormone Therapy: Another popular prostate cancer treatment. Hormone therapy removes hormones or blocks their actions to prevent cancer cells from growing. Male sex hormones produced by the prostate and other organs may accelerate the spreading of prostate cancer. Thus, eliminating or blocking them can slow down the cancers progression. Hormone therapy can be administered through drugs, surgery, or other hormones. Risks associated with hormone therapy include impaired sexual function, decreased sex drive, and hot flashes.

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