Types of Radiotherapy and

Treatment For Prostate Cancer

Being diagnosed with prostate cancer can cause a person and his or her family an unimaginable amount of stress. As prostate cancer is not commonly detected until it has advanced to more serious stages, the discovery of it will no doubt come as a shock to anybody.

The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that is situated below the bladder. The bladder is the organ that collects and disposes of urine.The prostate gland mainly produces fluid that makes up components of the semen. It is not that big in size, roughly the size of a walnut.

Green Light Laser Prostate Cancer Treatment

The symptoms of prostate cancer are quite similar to those of benign prostatic hyperplasia.Which are based around the difficulty in urinating and a feeling of pain in the surrounding organs.Do not feel alarmed if you start experiencing these symptoms as it may just be a case of benign prostatic hyperplasia in which case surgery may be needed to correct the condition.

However do not rely on guesswork when it comes to your own health.As soon as these signs begin to manifest themselves, seek help from your doctor. Special tests are required to examine a man's prostate and blood samples are tested to determine if there is the presence of prostate cancer.The most widely used test is the digital rectal examination, known as the DRE.

This examination is to perform a physical assessment of the rectum. The doctor normally inserts a gloved finger which has been well-lubricated beforehand into the man's rectum and feels the prostate through the rectal channel, looking for signs of any abnormal enlarged growth or lumps.

Outline Of Enlarged Prostate Treatment

Another procedure known as the transrectal ultrasound can also be used to check the condition of the prostate. The prostate-specific antigen test, known as the PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood samples. If the PSA is found in high concentration in a man's blood, this could indicate the presence of prostate cancer.

A pathologist could also examine removed prostatic cells or tissues under the microscope to determine the Gleason score through a procedure called a biopsy to find out if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Once it has been determined whether it was in fact prostate cancer and whether it has spread in the body.

The next step is to determine where in the body the cancer is spreading through. This could be through the blood which allows the cancer to invade the vein and capillaries, it could be through the lymph system and it could be through the tissue which allows the cancer to invade the surrounding healthy tissues.

The Importance of Early Detection of Prostate Cancer

Treatment options are normally dependent on the stage that the prostate cancer is at. The more advanced the cancer, the more radical the treatment becomes. Treatment methods of stage one of prostate cancer may include radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation therapy, a high-intensity focuses ultrasound and excision.Stage two may include the same methods as stage.

One as well as ultrasound guided cryosurgery, proton beam radiation therapy, hormone therapy and implant radiation therapy.Stage three may include the same methods of stages one and two, as well as pelvic lymphadenectomy and palliative therapy. Stage four may include radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy or palliative therapy to relieve symptoms of prostate cancer rather than curing it.

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The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment for Each Type of Patient

Whether a therapeutic technique is the best prostate cancer treatment for a patient depends on various factors. In selecting the treatment, a patient and his doctor should take into consideration the patient's age and expected life span, the stage and grade of the cancer, possible side effects and other health problems that the patient might have.

One of the best prostate cancer treatment techniques, particularly for older men and those who suffer from other serious illnesses, is the expectant management or watchful waiting method.

Watchful waiting involves the close monitoring of the cancer through prostate specific antigen testing. It does not involve active treatments like surgery and radiation therapy and is recommended mostly to those who have no symptoms. It is also used when the cancer is contained within one area of the prostate gland and is expected to grow very slowly.

Another option available to prostate cancer patients is surgery. This can be radical retropubic prostatectomy, radical perineal prostatectomy, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

In retropubic prostatectomy, the surgeon makes an incision in the lower abdomen to remove the prostate gland. Lymph nodes around the prostate might also be removed depending on whether the cancer has spread to these parts.

In perineal prostatectomy, the incision is made in the perineum or the skin between anus and scrotum. This procedure is use less often because the lymph nodes cannot be removed and there is a high probability that the nerves will be affected.

LRP, on the other hand, involves the use of several smaller incisions and specialized instruments. This highly complex procedure is known for its high precision and control. In the hands of experienced surgeons, it becomes an advantageous option compared with retropubic and perineal prostatectomy.

TURP, meanwhile, makes use of an instrument called a resectoscope which is passed through the end of the penis into the urethra at the level of the prostate. The electricity that passes through the instrument cuts or vaporizes the issue in the prostate. TURP is done to relieve symptoms and is also used for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Radiation therapy is the method in which high-energy rays or particles are used to kill cancer cells. This, like surgical procedures, is another example of a highly developed method of dealing with cancer. Radiation therapy is classified into two main types, the external beam radiation therapy (ERBT) and brachytherapy.

In treating localized prostate cancer, a procedure called crysosurgery is sometimes used. It involves the freezing of the tissues using very cold gases. Aside from cryosurgery, hormone therapy and chemotherapy are also options that prostate cancer patients can explore.

Hormone therapy does not cure cancer but is primarily used to lower levels of male hormones in a patient's body. Chemotherapy, meanwhile, is a procedure more commonly used in cases when the cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland.

Choosing the best prostate cancer treatment depends on a lot of factors. What is considered appropriate for one patient might not be good for another, that's why options should be discussed in detail with doctors before proceeding to the treatment stage.

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