Prostate Cancer: 5 Treatments You Should Know
As per the World Cancer Research Journal, prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer and ranks sixth on death-causing cancers among men. The annual cases range between 1 to 1.5 million worldwide, among which one-fourth of cases result in death.
However, the death ratio is on a steady decline due to the wider availability of prostate cancer treatment.
Right Treatment For Prostate Cancer
No treatment type is right for every patient, but there are plenty of options. Oncologists evaluate several factors such as the size of the tumour, speed or spread, age and overall health of the patient, and their personal preferences to recommend a treatment type.
Five Treatment Types You Should Know
1. Active Surveillance
If the cancer is detected early and the doctor observes that it is in a dormant stage, they may advise active surveillance as a form of treatment. As most prostate cancer cells grow slowly, many doctors believe that it is better not to intervene until it causes symptoms.
Active surveillance methods involve continued observations and regular check-ups as the doctor keeps a track record of cancer through imaging and diagnosis.
2. Surgery
Another type of prostate cancer treatment is the surgery method, which is the preferred option if the patient is healthy and cancer hasn’t spread. There are several types of prostate cancer surgeries.
The surgeon removes the prostate gland and some tissue around it in the typical approach, but there are side effects, including problems controlling the urine. Another side effect involves issues regarding erections as the surgery may lead to nerve damage near the tissue.
Therefore, patients should discuss the side effects with their doctors beforehand.
3. Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is a commonly used treatment method for various cancer types, and it uses high-energy beams to kill cancerous cells. It is a common choice if the cancer is limited to the prostate and is low grade.
The patients may also need surgery after the cancer cells have been killed with radiation to eradicate the cells which may have stayed behind. Again, there are two types of radiation therapies, i.e., external and internal.
4. Hormone Therapy
Another prostate cancer treatment method is hormone therapy, in which the cancer cells are made devoid of male sex hormones, which stops their growth. Doctors call it androgen deprivation therapy. Some hormone treatments work by lowering testosterone levels, and others block their way to the cancer cells.
5. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is another common cancer treatment approach in which the doctors use oral or IV based drugs which travel through the patient’s body to kill the cancer cells and shrink the tumours. Chemotherapy is advised when the disease spreads to the nearby organs, and the hormone therapy fails to work.
Conclusion
All in all, it is difficult to say which treatment works best to treat prostate cancer. However, the chances of survival are quite high if the diagnosis is made early, and the doctors recognise cancer sooner before it can cause any further damage.
Therefore, keep going for regular check-ups so that you can get treatment at the earliest if you’re affected with such a condition.