Prostate Cancer Treatment

About 1 in 7 American men will get prostate cancer in his lifetime. While the condition is serious, if caught early, there is a high rate of recovery. This type of cancer grows very slowly, making the likelihood of early detection high. Treatment for prostate cancer comes in several forms, which are usually used one at a time, but may be used in conjunction with each other.

Expectant Management

This treatment is usually reserved for men who are older or have more severe medical issues. Since the cancer grows very slowly, it may be contained or not show symptoms. This method involves watching the condition very carefully and actively testing to ensure it is not worsening.

Surgery

If the cancer has not spread outside of the prostate gland itself, surgery may be used to remove the gland and parts of the surrounding tissue altogether.

Radiation Therapy

Sometimes used in conjunction with hormone therapy, this treatment can be used if the cancer has spread outside of the prostate gland or for cases in which the cancer has come back after surgery.

Cryosurgery

Used in treating early-stage prostate cancer and reoccurring cancer. This treatment basically freezes the prostate to destroy it.

Hormone Therapy

This treatment lowers the occurrence of male hormones, stopping them from having an affect on the prostate gland’s cancerous cells.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is effective for treating cancers that have spread. Anti-cancer medications are giving either orally or intravenously. Chemotherapy is typically used in later-stage cases of prostate cancer.

Vaccine Treatment

An anti-cancer vaccine is used to boost the immune system, which fights off cancer cells. Vaccine treatment is normally used in cases of prostate cancer which present few or no symptoms, and the vaccine itself is custom-made for each individual patient it is used on.

Bone-directed Treatment

Bone-directed treatment is used in cases of prostate cancer that has spread from the prostate gland into the bones.