What are the treatment options for localized prostate cancer?
There are five generally accepted options for treatment of patients with localized prostate cancer: Nerve-sparing surgery (reduces the risk of erectile dysfunction side effects) Hormonal therapy (Lowers production of testosterone) Radiation therapy Brachytherapy seed implants Chemotherapy (Uses anti-cancer drugs) (New) Cryosurgery (Uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and kill prostate cancer cells) Because prostate cancer is often slow growing, a minority of men choose not to be treated at all (so-called watchful waiting) unless blood tests suggest that the tumor is becoming more aggressive.
A. The following treatment options are available: 1. Watchful waiting 2. Surgery (Radical prostatectomy) 3. Radiotherapy: External beam radiotherapy (includes HD-CRT) Radioactive implant of the prostate 4. Combination of hormonal treatment with either HD-CRT or surgery. Q. If I choose to be treated for prostate cancer, which is the best treatment for me? A. Patients with tumors displaying unfavorable features are best served with a combination of hormonal treatment and aggressive local treatment (surgery or HD-CRT). Older patients or patients with a frail medical condition should he approached with external beam radiotherapy. Patients with favorable tumors and who are able to withstand surgery can receive either treatment. Current data suggest that there is not difference in cancer cure rates between treatment modalities. The choice should be based on the individual patient’s comfort with the actual procedure and its potential toxicities. Patients having a subjective fear of leaving pr
The optimal treatment for a given individual will depend on the specific circumstances of his case. For localized disease, patients are usually offered one of the following • surgery to remove the prostate • targeted radiotherapy to kill the cancer cells in the prostate • no treatment initially (watchful waiting) whereby the patient is monitored until there are signs of progression before treatment is started. For further information Customer inquiries at 1-800-668-6000 Casodex is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.
