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Treatment options are many for prostate cancerBecause there are so many options, physicians should consider first man's age, when they recommend various procedure. Then, they must think how a procedure will affect the future life quality of patient. In fact, a growing number of doctors say many prostate cancers are better off being left untreated. It's been said that more men die with prostate cancer than of prostate cancer. In many cases, prostate patients die from another significant health problem. Like other fatal disease, prostate cancer is not listed such a condition likely to shorten men life span. Statistics say the survival rate of prostate cancer is very high. According to the American Cancer Society, overall, 99 percent of men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive at least five years. Furthermore, 91 percent of all prostate cancers are found while they are still within the prostate or only in nearby areas. The five-year relative survival rate for those men is almost 100 percent. Prostate cancer is very survivable because it's a very treatable disease. But depending on the type of treatment administrated, a prostate cancer patient can experience some rather uncomfortable side effects, among them impotence and incontinence being the most significant. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, surgery that removes the tumor can result in impotence, if the nerves that control erection are damaged during the operation. The patient also could suffer short-term incontinence while he recovers from surgery. The main problem of radiation treatment is it can cause both bladder and bowel incontinence. It can also lead to impotence. If with surgery there is some initial difficulty, and then potency improve over time, with radiation treatment it's the opposite. Men may start out being sexually active, and then as the radiation scarring and damage develops over the next two to three years, there's a gradual decrease in the levels of potency. Within each type of treatment, there's also a menu of options with a list of pluses and minuses. For example, surgical patients can opt for a "nerve-sparing" procedure less likely to interfere with sexual function. And radiation patients can choose between external beam treatment and brachytherapy, in which radioactive "seeds" are implanted in the tumor. According to the American Cancer Society there is no proven best treatment. Doctor and patient together need to investigate all the treatment options, and understand all the up sides and potential complications from each option. A patient also might decide that it's just not worth getting treated, particularly if the tumor is slow-growing. In a tactic called "watchful waiting," the patient does not receive treatment. Instead, regular checkups monitor the progress of the cancer. Some doctors feel if the man's life expectancy is low due to old age or other factors, surgery or radiation for prostate cancer might actually do more harm than good. New vaccine therapies to fight prostate cancer could be on the horizon. They would help the patient's immune system to target cancer cells. There are two or three vaccines under development. A phase 1 trial of one vaccine appeared to promote immune responses in 70 percent of the patients involved, according to a recent study. However, those drugs are still many years and many, many dollars away. In the meanwhile, according to the National Cancer Institute, there are steps men can take to lower their chances of getting prostate cancer. For example, some studies have revealed that chemicals released from muscle proteins when they're cooked at high temperatures could increase risk of prostate cancer in some. Other studies have concluded that a diet rich in animal fat or meat could be linked to incidence of prostate cancer. So, before to put their money into vaccine, men would want to think about some of the dietary things they can do. More information To learn more visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute NOTE: Issues on this site regarding prostate cancer and treatment options, are provided for information only, and are not meant to substitute for the advice of your own physician or other medical professional. Prostate-Report.org does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment. |
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