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How Successful Is Prostate Cancer Treatment

Thinking About Taking Part In A Clinical Trial

New treatment for prostate cancer introduced in New Orleans

Clinical trials are carefully controlled research studies that are done to get a closer look at promising new treatments or procedures. Clinical trials are one way to get state-of-the art cancer treatment. In some cases they may be the only way to get access to newer treatments. They are also the best way for doctors to learn better methods to treat cancer. Still, they’re not right for everyone.

If you would like to learn more about clinical trials that might be right for you, start by asking your doctor if your clinic or hospital conducts clinical trials.

Survival Rates For Prostate Cancer

Survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time after they were diagnosed. These rates cant tell you how long you will live, but they may help give you a better understanding of how likely it is that your treatment will be successful.

Keep in mind that survival rates are estimates and are often based on previous outcomes of large numbers of people who had a specific cancer, but they cant predict what will happen in any particular persons case. These statistics can be confusing and may lead you to have more questions. Ask your doctor, who is familiar with your situation, how these numbers may apply to you.

What Are The Side Effects Of Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer

Because androgens affect many other organs besides the prostate, ADT can have a wide range of side effects , including:

  • loss of interest in sex
  • Studer UE, Whelan P, Albrecht W, et al. Immediate or deferred androgen deprivation for patients with prostate cancer not suitable for local treatment with curative intent: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Trial 30891. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2006 24:18681876.

  • Zelefsky MJ, Eastham JA, Sartor AO. Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. In: Vincent T. DeVita J, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, 9e. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2011.

  • Smith MR, Saad F, Chowdhury S, et al. Apalutamide and overall survival in prostate cancer. European Urology 2021 79:150158.

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    Access The Right Treatments At The Right Time

    When it comes to treating prostate cancer, it is important to have access to the best expertise possible so you can receive the right treatments at the right time. The University of Maryland Cancer Network gives you the opportunity to connect with the best treatment options available.

    Led by the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center , the UM Cancer Network provides you access to nationally renowned experts, the latest treatments, and promising clinical trials close to home. When you work with a UM Cancer Network cancer center, your community hospital will work in partnership with UMGCCC to help you beat cancer.

    Find out more about prostate cancer treatments.

    Find an UMMS cancer center near you.

    Reproducibility Of Brachytherapy Results

    17 Best images about Home Remedies on Pinterest

    The results achieved in the US appear exportable to the UK. In Guildford, UK, we have treated over 800 patients and prospectively assessed outcomes of both PSA-free survival using the ASTRO criteria as well as continence, potency and quality of life parameters using validated questionnaires.

    The results of our first 300 patients treated with median follow-up of 45 months show an overall actuarial PSA-free survival of 93% at 5 years.8

    Stratified by risk group, the actuarial survivals were 96%, 89% and 93% for low-, intermediate- and high-risk disease, respectively. There was no statistical difference in survival between hormone naive patients and those treated with 3 months neo-adjuvant therapy, .

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    Physical Emotional And Social Effects Of Cancer

    Cancer and its treatment cause physical symptoms and side effects, as well as emotional, social, and financial effects. Managing all of these effects is called palliative care or supportive care. It is an important part of your care that is included along with treatments intended to slow, stop, or eliminate the cancer.

    Palliative care focuses on improving how you feel during treatment by managing symptoms and supporting patients and their families with other, non-medical needs. Any person, regardless of age or type and stage of cancer, may receive this type of care. And it often works best when it is started right after a cancer diagnosis. People who receive palliative care along with treatment for the cancer often have less severe symptoms, better quality of life, and report that they are more satisfied with treatment.

    Palliative treatments vary widely and often include medication, nutritional changes, relaxation techniques, emotional and spiritual support, and other therapies. You may also receive palliative treatments similar to those meant to get rid of the cancer, such as chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy.

    Learn more about the importance of tracking side effects in another part of this guide. Learn more about palliative care in a separate section of this website.

    Results Of Prostate Cryoablation

    The PSA will rise sharply during the immediate post freeze period, and should not be checked. This elevation is thought to be due to the release of intracellular PSA at the time of cell destruction. The PSA will usually get to its lowest point at 3-6 months. Ideally, the nadir will be < 0.4. In one 7-year study, the biochemical disease free survival rate for low grade, intermediate, and high grade prostate cancers, was 61%, 68% and 61%. When the PSA nadir point was placed at < 1.0 the rates were 87%, 79%, and 71%.

    To determine if you are a candidate for cryoablation, or to discuss anything at all about prostate cancer, call and arrange a consultation with Dr. Engel. Dr. Engel takes pride in realizing that one size does not fit all. We are able to offer all of the latest treatments for prostate cancer, and will attempt to help you decide what is best for you based on your age, stage and grade of prostate cancer, as well as your other medical problems.

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    Radical Prostatectomy Survival Rates

    Men who undergo radical prostatectomy have a high survival rate and low rates of cancer recurrence, cancer spread and death, according to a study of 10,332 men who had surgery between 1987 and 2004. The research showed that between 5 and 20 years after having the surgery, only 3% of the patients died of prostate cancer, 5% saw their cancer spread to other organs, and 6% had a localised recurrence.

    Another large Scandinavian study compared men who chose active surveillance with those treated by radical prostatectomy. The results suggest that in the long term, younger men with higher-risk tumours who have a radical prostatectomy, have a definite survival advantage.

    Results from another study at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore confirmed that 82% of men undergoing radical prostatectomy were free of recurrence at 15 years. The data from the research also indicated that in those men whose PSA level starts to rise again after surgery, the recurrent prostate cancer spreads in only around one-third of the men. In addition, unless a man had an aggressive grade of prostate cancer, the spreading of the disease would not become life-threatening for several years and would be amenable to treatment.

    Why are we recording and presenting data in this way?

    This traffic light study for results is significantly different to the way research is traditionally undertaken and presented.

    Why are we focusing on erectile function and continence after prostate cancer surgery?

    Watchful Waiting Or Active Surveillance/active Monitoring

    Prostate cancer: State-of-the-art diagnosis and non-invasive treatment

    Asymptomatic patients of advanced age or with concomitant illness may warrantconsideration of careful observation without immediate active treatment. Watch and wait, observation, expectant management, and active surveillance/active monitoring are terms indicating a strategy that does not employ immediate therapy with curative intent.

    Watchful waiting and active surveillance/active monitoring are the most commonly used terms, and the literature does not always clearly distinguish them, making the interpretation of results difficult. The general concept of watchful waiting is patient follow-up with the application of palliative care as needed to alleviate symptoms of tumor progression. There is no planned attempt at curative therapy at any point in follow-up. For example, transurethral resection of the prostate or hormonal therapy may be used to alleviate tumor-related urethral obstruction should there be local tumor growth hormonal therapy or bone radiation might be used to alleviate pain from metastases. Radical prostatectomy has been compared with watchful waiting or active surveillance/active monitoring in men with early-stage disease .

    • Regular patient visits.
    • Transrectal ultrasound .
    • Transrectal needle biopsies .

    Patient selection, testing intervals, and specific tests, as well as criteria for intervention, are arbitrary and not established in controlled trials.

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    Surgically Removing The Prostate Gland

    A radical prostatectomy is the surgical removal of your prostate gland. This treatment is an option for curing prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate or has not spread very far.

    Like any operation, this surgery carries some risks.

    A recent trial showed possible long-term side effects of radical prostatectomy may include an inability to get an erection and urinary incontinence.

    Before having any treatment, 67% of men said they could get erections firm enough for intercourse.

    When the men who had a radical prostatectomy were asked again after 6 months, this had decreased to 12%. When asked again after 6 years, it had slightly improved to 17%.

    For urinary incontinence, 1% of men said they used absorbent pads before having any treatment.

    When the men who had a radical prostatectomy were asked again after 6 months, this had increased to 46%. After 6 years, this had improved to 17%.

    Out of the men who were actively monitored instead, 4% were using absorbent pads at 6 months and 8% after 6 years.

    In extremely rare cases, problems arising after surgery can be fatal.

    Its possible that prostate cancer can come back again after treatment. Your doctor should be able to explain the risk of your cancer coming back after treatment, based on things like your PSA level and the stage of your cancer.

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    Help Getting Through Cancer Treatment

    People with cancer need support and information, no matter what stage of illness they may be in. Knowing all of your options and finding the resources you need will help you make informed decisions about your care.

    Whether you are thinking about treatment, getting treatment, or not being treated at all, you can still get supportive care to help with pain or other symptoms. Communicating with your cancer care team is important so you understand your diagnosis, what treatment is recommended, and ways to maintain or improve your quality of life.

    Different types of programs and support services may be helpful, and can be an important part of your care. These might include nursing or social work services, financial aid, nutritional advice, rehab, or spiritual help.

    The American Cancer Society also has programs and services including rides to treatment, lodging, and more to help you get through treatment. Call our National Cancer Information Center at 1-800-227-2345 and speak with one of our trained specialists.

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    Stage I Prostate Cancer Treatment

    In This Section
  • High-intensity focused ultrasound therapy.
  • Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy using a photosensitizing agent has been tested in men with low-risk prostate cancer. In the CLIN1001 PCM301 randomized trial, 413 men with low-risk cancer were randomly assigned in an open-label trial to receive either the photosensitizing agent, padeliporfin , or active surveillance. Median time to local disease progression was 28.3 months for patients receiving padeliporfin and 14.1 months for patients who were assigned to active surveillance . However, the appropriate population for photodynamic therapy may be quite narrow, as it may overtreat men with very low-risk disease and undertreat men with higher-risk disease.

    Genetic Testing For Prostate Cancer

    Patient Guide to Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)

    You may hear a lot about genetics or genomics. Both terms are related to genes and cell DNA, but they are different. These tests are being used to learn more about the DNA of cancer cells, and link DNA mutations with treatments. In the future, genetic testing may be the first step doctors take when diagnosing prostate cancer.

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    Are There Side Effects

    The treatments for prostate cancer also can affect your body in other ways. Side effects can include:

    • Loss of your ability to get a woman pregnant
    • Leaky bladder or loss of bladder control. You might also need to pee a lot more often.

    Side effects are another thing to think about when youâre choosing a treatment. If theyâre too tough to handle, you might want to change your approach. Talk to your doctor about what you can expect. They can also help you find ways to manage your side effects.

    What Is Focal Therapy

    This novel approach to treating prostate cancer destroys the tumor within the prostate. Not all prostate cancers can be treated safely with focal therapy, and this is an ongoing area of research. We do know that high-quality imaging is critical. By visualizing the tumor with precision on MRI scans or other imaging tests, surgeons can use various sources of energy to get rid of the tumor. These include cryoablation , laser ablation, or high frequency ultrasound. High-intensity frequency ultrasound can also destroy the tumor without harming the prostate.

    Focal therapy can successfully remove the prostate cancer without damaging the rest of the prostate gland, thus minimizing the risk of urinary or sexual side effects.

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    Secondary Treatment Following Relapse

    Hormone therapy may also be used as a secondary or salvage treatment when PSA levels rise following initial prostate cancer treatment, indicating the cancer has returned. This situation is known as biochemical recurrence. The salient points to keep in mind are that hormone therapy is most often used as a salvage treatment when PSA doubling time is less than six months, indicating that the cancer is aggressive or may have already metastasized.

    How Is Prostate Cancer Treated

    Rob’s prostate cancer story and successful treatment with abiraterone

    Lorenzo asked his doctors about survival and side effects and talked to friends and family members before deciding on treatment. He shares his story in this blog post.

    Different types of treatment are available for prostate cancer. You and your doctor will decide which treatment is right for you. Some common treatments are

    • Expectant management. If your doctor thinks your prostate cancer is unlikely to grow quickly, he or she may recommend that you dont treat the cancer right away. Instead, you can choose to wait and see if you get symptoms in one of two ways:
    • Active surveillance. Closely monitoring the prostate cancer by performing prostate specific antigen tests and prostate biopsies regularly, and treating the cancer only if it grows or causes symptoms.
    • Watchful waiting. No tests are done. Your doctor treats any symptoms when they develop. This is usually recommended for men who are expected to live for 10 more years or less.
  • Surgery. A prostatectomy is an operation where doctors remove the prostate. Radical prostatectomy removes the prostate as well as the surrounding tissue.
  • Radiation therapy. Using high-energy rays to kill the cancer. There are two types of radiation therapy
  • External radiation therapy. A machine outside the body directs radiation at the cancer cells.
  • Internal radiation therapy . Radioactive seeds or pellets are surgically placed into or near the cancer to destroy the cancer cells.
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    Side Effects Of Hormone Therapy

    Most side effects experienced by patients receiving HT are caused by low testosterone. The three most reported side effects are fatigue, hot flashes and sexual changes, including decreased libido and reduced erectile function.

    Many of these side effects develop over time. Patients treated for eight months or less time are less likely to experience many of them, although some, such as hot flashes and sexual side effects, usually manifest within the first four to six weeks. Most of these side effects are reversible, diminishing or disappearing when the therapy is stopped and testosterone levels recover.

    Not all patients experience all side effects, and there is much variability in their severity.

    Here are the side effects patients most often report, along with suggestions for minimizing them:

    Chemotherapy For Prostate Cancer

    The decision on when to start chemotherapy is difficult and highly individualized based on several factors:What other treatment options or clinical trials are available.How well chemotherapy is likely to be tolerated.What prior therapies you have received.If radiation is needed prior to …

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    How Does Brachytherapy Work

    Brachytherapy involves implanting small, permanent radioactive seeds or temporary needles into the cancerous prostate.

    After you are identified as a good candidate for brachytherapy, an ultrasound is used to guide the placement of needles into the prostate. Depending on whether you and your doctor have chosen permanent/low-dose brachytherapy or temporary/high-dose brachytherapy, these needles are then used to either put in permanent seeds or temporary radiation sources.

    Placement of seeds is a minimally invasive procedure and does not require incisions. Men undergoing the procedure can return to full activity in less than a week. This is done as an outpatient procedure before you begin treatment.

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    Help To Continue The Work

    The Problem with PSA Screenings, Prostate Cancer and Risk

    The Prostate Cancer Free Foundation, reviews the results of hundreds of thousands of men treated for prostate cancer. Tracking them for years. This information is available to you, and others like you, to help find the best prostate cancer treatment. This work takes time, effort, resources all of it done by volunteers. Please help us continue. Please Donate!

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