Treatment options for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a specifically male cancer because it involves the prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system. The prostate gland is located between the bladder and rectum and is responsible for the production of seminal fluid. Treatment options for prostate cancer depends on how advanced the cancer is.Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty urinating and erectile dysfunction, although early prostate cancer may not cause any symptoms at all.
It is more common in men than fifty years and more frequently diagnosed in men in their seventies.Diagnosis is by physical exam or by blood tests. One such blood test called the PSA test. PSA stands for prostate specific antigen, and this antigen is they are looking for blood. A confirmed case of prostate cancer will be confirmed by taking a biopsy. If the cancer is contained within the prostate gland then there are two treatment options. Cancer can be treated with radiation therapy, which is the use of X-rays to kill cancer cells. Cancer may also be removed by surgery called radical prostatectomy. A radical prostatectomy involves removal of the entire prostate and usually nearby lymph nodes under general anesthesia. Lymph nodes are checked to see if the cancer has spread, known as metastasis.
Risk of prostate cancer with metastasis to other parts of the same body, especially the bones and lymph nodes. With both types of treatment there is a chance that the cancer will come back, however the incidence of recurrence is lower with radical prostatectomy with radiotherapy. Careful consideration of the benefits and side effects of both treatments should be given so that you get the best treatment option for you. If the cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland then hormone treatment can be given. Male hormones, called androgens, may be associated with accelerated tumor growth.
Therefore, if the growth hormone is restricted tumor may be slowed. Androgens like testosterone produced in the testicles, making testicles are sometimes removed as part of hormone therapy. The latest treatment for prostate cancer is called "watchful waiting." This involves regular checkups and follow your doctor to keep a check on the growth of the tumor. The doctor will perform a physical exam and blood tests such as the PSA test. With all types of treatment for prostate cancer patients will have to weigh the pros and cons and discuss side effects of different treatments with your doctor. The decision can be made on which course of treatment to take, or whether to perform a period of "watchful waiting" before deciding which of the treatment options for prostate cancer to follow
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