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General Facts About Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

By Nancy Gardner


Cancer is one of the most feared diseases today as it has no cure and slowly destroys the body in a painful manner. Despite the fact that it has no direct cure, many methods of treatment have been developed to kill the cells and prevent them from spreading to other body parts. Early diagnosis is crucial if one is to survive this deadly disease. Prostate cancer is becoming more common by the day. Although it is mostly common amongst old people, many people today are being diagnosed and it is important to know the available prostate cancer treatment options.

The main causes of this disease include exposure to radiation and carcinogenic substances. Recent research shows that hereditary factors in some cases can increase the chances of one developing the disease. It has been noted that the increased use of highly processed foods, tobacco, alcohol and lack of physical activity can contribute to development of the disease. It is important for people to make the necessary lifestyle changes so as to reduce their chances of developing the disease.

One of the main challenges to the fight against this disease is lack of awareness. Most people never seek medical attention until when it is too late. It is therefore very important for people to have as much information as possible so as to enable early diagnosis.

Symptoms of this ailment include weak urine flow, pain in back and pelvis that is prolonged, dizziness and prolonged feeling of tiredness. Also, patients may experience burning sensation when urinating. With such symptoms, one is meant to see a doctor immediately before they reach the terminal stage of the disease.

After confirming that one has this disease, the next step in treatment is to determine if it is localized or if it has spread. This is a very crucial stage as this actually determines the choice of treatment methods to be used. IF the diagnosis is made early before the cancerous cells have spread, the prostate gland is surgically removed to prevent spreading of the malignant cells to other parts of the body.

It is important to note that the method of treatment use to deal with the disease often depends on the stage at which diagnosis has been made and if the cancer cells have spread or not. In the case of localized cancer, Prostatectomy can be done. During this process, the prostate gland is surgically removed so as to prevent spreading of the malignant cells to other body parts. After this procedure, a patient undergoes radiotherapy to ensure that any remaining malignant cells in the surrounding tissues die.

In the event that the cancer has spread to other body parts, drastic measures are taken to try to manage the cancer as the patient is at a critical stage. At this point a patient may undergo both radiotherapy and chemotherapy so at to deal with the cells that have spread to other body parts. In order to increase the chances of survival of a patient, strict doses of radiation and other medication can be administered to reduce spreading of the disease.

This method seeks to freeze cancerous cells and then thaw them. This often results in destruction of the malignant cells. In the event that the cancer has spread, a strict dose of radiation together with chemotherapy is used. At this point, the patient is carefully monitored so as to ensure all the spreading is contained. It is important to note that patients who reach such a point have minimal chances of survival.




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