Why Would They Give Chemo for Prostate Cancer?

While chemotherapy is a common option in the treatment of many types of cancers, it has not been a part of the traditional protocol in the treatment of prostate cancer. There are, however, certain prostate cancer patients who may benefit from the therapy.

Facts

• According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common internal cancer in men and is the number one cause of male cancer deaths. One in six men will suffer from the disease at some point in his life.

Chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy involves the administering of toxic drugs to kill or attack the growth of cancer cells. The drugs, injected into a vein or taken orally, circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream.

Benefits

• Chemotherapy is usually reserved as a last resort for men with advanced-stage prostate cancer (stage M+). It is often used after radical prostatectomy, radiation or hormone therapy has failed and the cancer has metastasized to the bones, which occurs in about one-third of patients.

Advantages

• Currently, chemotherapy for prostate cancer is not curative, but it can reduce pain and slow tumor growth.

Future

• As described in the book "Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer," by Patrick C. Walsh, MD, scientist Mario Eisenberger, has come up with a set of factors to predict which men might benefit from chemotherapy after the cancer has been eradicated to prevent its recurring. As a preventative measure, chemo might benefit men who exhibit the following factors: a tumor in the lymph nodes, cancer in the seminal vesicles and/or high screening scores.