The treatment for prostate cancer that may be best for one man may not be appropriate for another. There are several factors your doctor may consider before choosing which prostate cancer treatment is best for you. The factors that determines the cancer treatment plan includes:

The size of your tumor
How far cancer cell has spread
How quickly the tumor is likely to grow
Your age and how healthy you are
Your personal inclinations
Your doctor may not proceed to treat your cancer if it has not undergone any change or it if doesn’t cause you any uncomfortable symptoms. Most prostate cancer develops slowly so it will require your doctor to closely monitor it and take note of any symptoms that may affect you. If your doctor notices that your cancer is growing, then it may require treatments.

Treatment for Prostate Cancer
Surgery
Surgery may be an alternative if your cancer hasn’t spread or metastasize to other vital organs of your body. The surgical procedures for prostate cancer treatment are of different types. One of the surgical procedure may involve the doctor removing your prostate gland. Your doctor may equally take out your prostate gland and the surrounding tissue.

One common complication of prostate cancer surgery is with urination and maintaining an erection. The ability to control your urine and maintain an erection are always common problems encountered after prostate cancer surgery. Discuss with your doctor so as to know your chances of protecting nerves around your prostate after the surgery



Radiation
Radiation is also another prostate cancer treatment that uses high-energy beams to destroy cancerous growth or tumor. Radiation is mostly used for cases where the cancer is still in your prostate. Radiation can also be used to remove any cancerous cells that may still remain after treatment. For cancer that has metastasize to the boe, radiation can still be used. There are two types of radiation:

External radiation: This involves using a machine outside your body to direct rays at the cancer to destroy it.
Internal (brachytherapy) radiation: This involves your doctor placing small radioactive seeds into or near the cancer.
In some cases, a combination of both treatment is used for effective results.

Proton Beam Radiation
This is another prostate cancer treatment that is used on cancers that hasn’t spread to other organs. Proton beam radiation involves using radiation therapy with tiny particles to attack and destroy cancer cells.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves using drugs, either taken orally or intravenously to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Using chemotherapy as a treatment for prostate cancer may be effective if the cancer cells hasn’t metastasize outside your prostate. Chemotherapy is also effective in cases where hormone therapy isn’t efficient.

Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy for treating prostate cancer is also effective. The growth of prostate cancer cells is facilitated by testosterone. So, hormone therapy deprives the cancer cells from getting testosterone by depressing the levels of testosterone and other male hormones.

Bisphosphonate Therapy
This therapy for treating prostate cancer is best if the cancer has gotten to the bones. When the cancer gets to your bones, these drugs can relieve pain and prevent fractures.

Cryotherapy or Cryosurgery
This therapy freezes the cancer cells to destroy them. It is mostly effective for early stage prostate cancer. This involves your doctor inserting tiny needles into your prostate to and releasing cold gasses to destroy the cancer cells.

Immunotherapy
Another prostate cancer treatment is immunotherapy, which works mostly for cancer cells that are in the advanced state. Immunotherapy works with your immune system to destroy the cancer cells.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound
This ultrasound for treating prostate cancer uses a device to produce sound waves that convey heat energy to destroy cancer cells. It’s vague how well it works, as it hasn’t yet been related with other standard prostate cancer treatments.

Prostate Cancer Vaccine
Your doctor may administer shot of prostate cancer vaccine to boost your immune system and strengthen it to fight off an infection and to destroy cancer cells. This treatment works is effective for people who have tried hormone therapy that isn’t effective.

The prostate cancer vaccine is usually custom-made for the patient. It helps men with prostate cancer to live for long.

What are the Side Effects of Prostate cancer Treatment?
Prostate cancer treatments can affect your body in other ways. Side effects of prostate cancer treatment include:

Erectile dysfunction
Bowel problems
Lower sex drive
Male infertility
Loss of bladder control
Frequent urination
Side effects are another thing to think about when you’re choosing a treatment. If they’re too tough to handle, you might want to change your approach. Talk to your doctor about what you can expect. He can also help you find ways to manage your side effects.

Things to Consider before Treating Prostate cancer
Ensure you work with your doctor to go for the cancer treatment option that is most suitable for you. Things you ought to consider before choosing a treatment include:

The risks. Discuss the risk of your chosen option with your doctor. You may decide to go for an option that is also suitable and comes with little or no risks.
The side effects. Ask your doctor about the possible side effects of the treatment after surgery and ways on how you can manage them.
Your age and overall health. Older men with severe health conditions may require urgent treatment.

Stages of Prostate Cancer Treatments
The stages of prostate cancer treatment depends on the following

The size of your tumor
How far it has spread
The chances of it coming back
After your doctor has established the stage of your prostate cancer, he can begin to map out a suitable treatment plan for you. It is always tasking to match your prostate cancer stage with the exact treatment. You may require a combination of different treatment approaches for desired results.

The stages of prostate cancer and treatment options may include:

Stage 1 Prostate Cancer Treatment
For the stage 1 of prostate cancer, the size of the cancer cell or tumor is still small and hasn’t grown outside your prostate. During the stage 1 prostate cancer, you have low levels of the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and Gleason scores. A higher level of these lowers your chances of survival because it indicates your cancer has become more aggressive.

The PSA test measures the protein levels in your blood while the Gleason score is determined by your doctor examining your prostate tissue cells using a microscope.

For stage 1 prostate cancer treatment, the following treatment methods are available:

Active surveillance. This requires your doctor monitoring your PSA levels. A rise in those levels will indicate a growth and spread of your cancer. Your doctor can then alter the course of your treatment.
Radiation therapy. Radiation stops the growth and division of cells by using either the external radiation therapy or the internal radiation therapy.
Radical prostactectomy. This uses surgery to remove your prostate and some of the nearby tissue.
Ablation therapy. The Ablation treatment involves freezing or using high-intensity ultrasound to eliminate cancer cells.
Watchful waiting. Your doctor closely monitors your symptoms. Your doctor may pick this method for seniors with serious health complications.

Stage 2 Prostate cancer Treatment
For the stage 2 prostate cancer treatment, the cancer has expanded in size but hasn’t spread outside your prostate. You may have higher PSA levels and Gleason scores compared to stage 1.

Treatment for stage 2 prostate cancer may require surgery or radiation to stop cancer from spreading

Active surveillance. This stage is considered for seniors with health conditions.
Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy may be combined with hormone therapy to prevent your cancer cells from growing.
Radical prostatectomy may also be used for treating stage 2 prostate cancer.

Stage 3 Prostate cancer Treatment
For the stage 3 prostate cancer, the cancer has spread past your prostate, but hasn’t affected your prostate, rectum, lymph nodes, or proximate organs.

The options for stage 3 prostate cancer treatment includes:

External radiation with hormone therapy
External radiation with brachytherapy and hormone therapy
Radical prostatectomy combined with removal of your pelvic lymph nodes.
Radiation may come after surgery to destroy remaining cancer cells.

Stage 4 Prostate Cancer Treatment
The stage 4 prostate cancer treatment is the last stage of growth and spread of the cancer cells. At this stage, the cancer cells metastasize to the bladder, rectum, lymph nodes, organs, or bones. Treatment for stage 4 prostate cancer is very rare and quite difficult. However, treatments can be administered for longevity.

Options for stage 4 prostate cancer treatment may include:

Hormone therapy in combination with surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy
Surgery to relieve unpleasant symptoms
External radiation in combination with hormone therapy or without it
Chemotherapy, if usual treatments proves abortive and the cancer continues to grow. The drugs will shrink and reduce the growth of cancer cells.
Bisphosphonate drugs to help slow the growth of cancer in the bone and help prevent fractures.
Prostate cancer vaccine, sipuleucel-T (Provenge), to boosts your immune system so it can destroy cancer cells.

What if Your Prostate Cancer Returns after Treatment?
For cancer that returns after treatment, there may be follow-up treatments depending on where the cancer is positioned and which treatments options you’ve tried.

If after the cancer goes into remission and returns but is in your prostate, you may undergo surgery or radiation therapy. For those with radical prostatectomy, radiation may be suggested. If you had radiation, radical prostatectomy may be used.
Hormone therapy may be used for effective treatment. To relieve bone pain, external radiation therapy or IV radiation therapy or bisphosphonate drugs can be used.

Bottom line
When prostate cancer has gotten to a stage where it cannot be controlled, it means the cancer has reached the terminal stage. Advanced cancer may be hard to discuss, but you should freely discuss with your doctor about your worries. Patients with terminal cancer who are likely to live less than 6 months may want to consider a palliative care called hospice care, which is aimed at providing the best imaginable quality of life for patients who have a short time to live.

Source: https://healthdiary365.com/treatment-for-prostate-cancer/