Treatment Methods For Advanced Prostate Cancer By Jane Clarke

Prostate cancer starts as a tumor develops in the prostate. Prostate Cancer that spreads outside the prostate gland to the lymph nodes, bones, or further areas is named as metastatic prostate cancer. Unfortunately at this time,there is no cure for prostate cancer in advanced stages. Doctors however do have ways to help manage its spread and related symptoms.

Any methods that slow down advanced prostate cancer usually have a great deal of side effects that can sometimes be more debilitating than the prostate cancer itself. Older individuals usually choose not to treat their advanced prostate cancer because of these side effects.

Prostate Cancer Treatment (Hormone Therapy):

Testosterone the male hormone stimulates prostate cancer growth. If the prostat cancer has spread to other body parts, reducing testosterone levels is usually the first form of treatment. A reduction in testosterone can slow the growth of prostate cancer cells and shrink prostate cancer tumors. Hormone therapy has riskswhich include loss of sex drive, impotence and weakened bones. Typically most patients using hormone therapy to treat prostate cancer become less responsive to its benefits over time (hormone therapy resistance).

Chemotherapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer:
Until recently the only treatment for prostate cancer was hormone therapy, however now those suffering from advanced prostate cancer have a single chemotherapy drug: Taxotere. Taxotere (given with the steroid prednisone) can handicap cancer cells from dividing and growing. Like any other chemotherapy Taxotere side effects include nausea, loss of hair, deficient bone marrow and the decline (or stopping) of red blood cell formation. Taxotere has been known to extend a patient’s life from a few months all the way up to several years.

Prostate Cancer Surgery:

If an individual has reoccurring or advanced prostate cancer they may choose to have the entire prostate gland removed. This surgical procedure is called a radical prostatectomy. Along with the removal of the prostate gland surgeons will usually remove the lymph nodes surrounding the prostate as well.

If the prostate cancer hasn't spread past the prostate gland Cyrosurgery maybeused to kill the cancer cells. Cyrosurgery uses extremely cold temperatures to freeze and effectively destroy the cancer cells.

In an effort to reduce testosterone levels in the body permanently doctors may suggest removing the testicles. This procedure is called an orchiectomy. Patients who receive this surgery may choose get prosthetics inserted that have the same shape and size of the testicles.

Latest Treatment for Prostate Cancer:

One of the new treatments for advanced prostate cancer that is presently being developed involves using genetically modified viruses and Prostate-Specific Antigen . Here’s how it works. The patient is injected with a modified virus that contains PSA (prostate-specific antigen). When the body’s immune system encounters this virus it learns that this virus is dangerous and must be attacked. Since this virus has PSA characteristics in it researchers hope that the immune system will also attack prostate cancer cells that contain PSA, thus strategically demolishing prostate cancer cells. This form of treatment is so promising because it could prove to be very effective with very few side effects. Only time will tell of course.

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