What Are Some Treatment Plans for Prostate Cancer?

Every year, more men die from prostate cancer than any other cancer outside of lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The cancer is so common that one in six men will develop it in his lifetime. While these statistics are high, the good news for prostate cancer patients is that cases that are caught early are highly treatable, and doctors have several treatment choices to draw from when choosing the right one for each patient.

Brachytherapy

• Brachytherapy uses tiny seeds of radioactive material implanted into the prostate gland to attack the tumors from the inside. This lowers the risk of radiation damage to surrounding tissue, because the seeds emit radiation to only a small area of the body. This procedure works well for patients with small, slow growing tumors who are in overall good health. Possible side effects include blood in the urine, burning in the scrotum, uncomfortable urinary symptoms and impotence.

External Beam Radiation

• External beam radiation therapy sends radiation into the prostate gland from outside of the body. The goal of treatment, which lasts for five to nine weeks, is to destroy the cancer cells by damaging the cellular DNA. Patients will receive daily treatments during the week, while taking the weekends off, when they receive external beam radiation. Fatigue, upset stomach, bowel problems, burning during urination and skin irritation are common side effects of radiation treatment. Sometimes the tissue around the prostate gland is damaged by the radiation, causing incontinence and impotence.

Cryosurgery

• Cryosurgery uses argon, an extremely cold gas, to freeze the prostate gland and destroy it along with the tumors it contains. This procedure begins with a fusion of argon gas, followed by a warming gas, such as helium, to thaw the tissue. It is repeated twice, which ensures that the gland is effectively destroyed. The minimally invasive prostate cancer treatment option takes approximately two hours. Possible side effects include pain, blood in the urine, swelling of the scrotum, urinary symptoms and impotence.

HIFU

• HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. This treatment option for prostate cancer patients uses ultrasound waves directed into the prostate gland to heat and destroy the tissue. Ultrasound imaging guides the physician as the treatment is delivered, ensuring the gland is completely destroyed. Because ultrasound waves pass harmlessly through surrounding tissue, HIFU treatment lowers the risk of side effects, although some are still possible. These side effects include impotence, incontinence and pain. Blood loss is minimal with this minimally invasive treatment option.

Hormone Therapy

• Hormone therapy works to lower the levels of testosterone in the man's body, thus starving the tumor of the hormones it needs to grow and survive. This either shrinks the tumor or stops the progression of the disease, but it does not destroy the actual tumor. Hormone therapy is often used in conjunction with other treatment options that destroy the cancer. Weight gain, loss of muscle, hot flashes and fatigue are all common side effects of hormone therapy.

Prostatectomy

• A prostatectomy is the surgical removal of the prostate gland. This can be done either with a laparoscopic procedure or through an open surgical procedure, depending on the patient's anatomy and the size of the prostate gland. Surgery is the oldest prostate cancer treatment with success rates of over 90 percent according to the Prostate Cancer Institute. Prostatectomy almost always leads to impotence, and incontinence is also likely. Risks from surgery include blood loss and infection.

Watchful Waiting

• Watchful waiting, which is technically not a prostate cancer treatment plan, involves doing nothing to treat the prostate cancer as long as the cancer remains confined within the prostate gland, where it is not dangerous. With this treatment plan, the physician performs regular tests to determine whether the cancer is beginning to grow or spread. When the cancer shows signs of spreading, patients can decide whether they want to pursue further treatment. For some, treatment is never needed, as the prostate cancer does not spread outside of the gland during the patient's lifetime.