Prostate Cancer - Symptoms, Stages, Diagnosis & Treatment

Prostate Cancer Treatment

Treatment options for prostate cancer are dependent on several factors, including the speed the cancer is growing at, if it has spread and overall health. Potential benefits and side effects will also be considered. Early prostate cancer may not need immediate treatment. In some cases, treatment might never be needed. Careful monitoring – regular follow-up blood tests, rectal exams and prostate biopsies – can be all that’s needed.

If tests show cancer progression, you may choose prostate cancer treatment such as surgery or radiation.

Prostate removal surgery

Surgery is an option for treating cancer confined to the prostate. Sometimes it’s used to treat advanced prostate cancer in combination with other treatments. Prostate cancer surgery involves radical prostatectomy – removal of the prostate gland, some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes.

Radiation therapy

This treatment involves using high-powered energy to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy treatments might involve the following:

• External beam radiation: High-powered energy beams, such as X-rays or protons, are aimed at the body to kill the cancer and relieve symptoms, such as pain. This treatment can last every day for several weeks.
• Brachytherapy: Rice-sized radioactive seeds are placed in the prostate tissue, delivering a low, metered dose of radiation over time. Brachytherapy is an option for treating cancer that hasn't spread beyond the prostate.
• Both external and internal radiation therapy treatments: In some situations, doctors may recommend both types of radiation therapy.

Heating or freezing

Prostate tissue can be treated with cold or heat, in very small prostate cancers when surgery isn't possible. Options may include:

• Freezing prostate tissue: Known as cryoablation or cryotherapy, this treatment involves freezing the prostate tissue using a very cold gas, which kills cancer cells
• High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment: This treatment uses concentrated ultrasound energy to heat prostate tissue, causing it to die.

Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is used to stop the body from producing the male hormone testosterone, because prostate cancer cells need this hormone in order to grow.

Options include:

• Medications to halt testosterone production
• Anti-androgen medications: Block testosterone from reaching cancer cells
• Orchiectomy: Surgery to remove the testicles, which reduces testosterone levels quickly and significantly

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy:

• Uses drugs to kill fast-growing cells
• Can be delivered via a vein in the arm, in pill form or both
• Is a treatment option for treating prostate cancer that has spread
• Is an option for those cancers unresponsive to hormone therapy

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy uses your own immune system to fight cancer. Prostate cancer immunotherapy can involve:

• Engineering your cells to fight cancer: Sipuleucel-T treatment takes immune cells, genetically engineers them to fight prostate cancer, then injects them back into the body.
• Helping immune system cells identify cancer cells: This type of immunotherapy drug is an option for treating advanced prostate cancers that are unresponsive to hormone therapy.

Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer

Factors that can increase risk of prostate cancer include:

• Age: The risk of prostate cancer increases as we get older, and is most common after 50.
• Ethnicity: For undetermined reasons, Black people have a greater risk of prostate cancer than people of other races and it is more likely to be aggressive or advanced.
• Family history: If a blood relative is diagnosed with prostate cancer, your risk may increase.
• Obesity: Obese people may have a higher risk of prostate cancer compared with those of healthy weight, though studies show mixed results.

Prostate Cancer Complications

Complications of prostate cancer and its treatments include:

• Cancer that metastasizes (spreads): Once prostate cancer has spread, it may still respond to treatment and may be controlled, but is unlikely to be cured.
• Incontinence: Prostate cancer and treatment might cause urinary incontinence. Treatment will depend on type, severity and likelihood of improvement.
• Erectile dysfunction: Can result from prostate cancer or its treatment, including surgery, radiation or hormone treatments.

Prostate Cancer Prevention

There are some simple lifestyle changes that reduce the risk of prostate cancer:

• Eat more fruit, vegetables and wholegrains: A healthy diet helps provide vital minerals, vitamins and boosts overall health
• Choose whole foods over supplements: An unprocessed, healthy diet is better than reliance on supplements
• Take regular exercise
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Preventative medication: If you have a very high risk of prostate cancer, you and your doctor may consider medications to reduce that risk. Studies suggest taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may reduce overall risk.