A List Of Treatments For Prostate Cancer

By Daphne Bowen


There are several things to have in mind when suffering from cancer of the prostrate glands. Age is one of them which will assist medical practitioners in selecting the best treatments for prostate cancer that fits you. The extent to which it has spread is another essential factor to be considered too. This type of illness is very life threatening and thorough consultation is needed before decisions are made. The diverse field of medicine has skilled individuals who will help you with this illness.

The first method that can be used in mitigation of this disease is known as expectant management. This is because, normally, the disease takes time to completely weaken the organ. Active surveillance is done to monitor the ailment by use of ultrasound to confirm if it is rapidly growing. The patient is also expected to use observations during the symptoms period to help in determining the degree of spread and this process usually requires clinic visits after every three months.

Another method is preventing and treating it before it spreads to the bones. It usually tends to grow outwards past the tissues towards the bones causing the patient to experience pain in the bones. Preventing it from reaching the bones can be done using Bisphosphonates which are drugs that slow the growth of the sickness. Side effects such as joint pains can be felt after consumption of the drug therefore kidney patients should not use this medicine.

Vaccines can also be employed as they are usually a combination of disease fighting cells and the disease causing cell. The outcome of this mixture is called Sipuleucel T and is very vital when the disease is in its later stages. Biochemists and other medical researchers have done tremendous work in inventing this vaccine. The biology behind it is that the white blood cells are boosted to fight with the cancerous antibodies. A patient may experience fever, fatigue and joint pains after a dosage is issued.

Chemotherapy, as the science of using medicinal substances of chemical nature, can also be employed in mitigating cancerous cells. These substances are mainly issued through injection for them to dissolve in the bloodstream and be absorbed by the cells. Most patients have lived a longer life thanks to chemotherapy. The side effects are hair loss, fatigue and sores on the lips.

Hormone therapy is also used with an ultimate goal of reducing the male hormone levels. The presence of high testosterone hormones in the male system enable the disease to spread further. Hormone therapy is initiated by lowering of the androgens resulting to cancerous cell shrinking. Side effects associated with this procedure include weight gain and loss of muscles.

Cryosurgery, which is facilitated by the ultrasound technology, can be used to freeze the cancerous cells making them inactive. The procedure involves the use of low temperature gases which are introduced into the organs keenly to avoid distraction of surrounding tissues. Side effects associated with this act are usually similar to those of a typical surgery.

Finally, radiation therapy uses electromagnetic waves to completely destroy the cancer cells. This can be through internal beam radiation or external radiation. Internal radiation is the most used procedure for it completely destroys the cell. The side effects include abdomen pains, inability to erect, diarrhea and fatigue.




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