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How Treatable Is Prostate Cancer

Treatment Option Overview For Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer Treatment
In This Section

Local treatment modalities are associated with prolonged disease-free survival for many patients with localized prostate cancer but are rarely curative in patients with locally extensive tumors. Because of clinical understaging using current diagnostic techniques, even when the cancer appears clinically localized to the prostate gland, some patients develop disseminated tumors after local therapy with surgery or radiation.

Treatment options for each stage of prostate cancer are presented in Table 6.

Table 6. Treatment Options by Stage for Prostate Cancer

Stage Standard Treatment Options
EBRT = external-beam radiation therapy LH-RH = luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone PARP = poly polymerase TURP = transurethral resection of the prostate.
Stage I Prostate Cancer
PARP inhibitors for men with prostate cancer and BRCA1, BRCA2, and/or ATM mutations

Side effects of each of the treatment approaches are covered in the relevant sections below. Patient-reported adverse effects differ substantially across the options for management of clinically localized disease, with few direct comparisons, and include watchful waiting/active surveillance/active monitoring, radical prostatectomy, and radiation therapy. The differences in adverse effects can play an important role in patient choice among treatment options. Detailed comparisons of these effects have been reported in population-based cohort studies, albeit with relatively short follow-up times of 2 to 3 years.

What Is The Most Effective Treatment For Prostate Cancer

The choice of treatment for prostate cancer depends on many factors such as the patients prostate cancer risk as calculated from prostate-specific antigen levels, Gleason score, and tumor staging. Patients can discuss the significance of these factors in the choice of treatment with their doctor.

The standard effective treatment choices for men with early-stage prostate cancer are as follows

  • Active surveillance: Monitoring the progression/status of the low-risk or early-stage cancer with regular testing and not treating it right away.
  • Prostatectomy: Surgical removal of the prostate.
  • Radiation therapy: Use of high-energy waves to destroy cancer cells.

Radiation therapy is one of the most effective treatments for many men with early-stage prostate cancer. It is also the best prostate cancer therapy for older men or those with other co-existing diseases. It can be delivered to the patient in any of the two ways

  • External beam radiation: Sending/focusing high-energy waves from an external machine into the tumor.
  • Brachytherapy: Placing a radioactive dye in the tumor through an implant or hollow tubes.

For metastatic prostate cancer, androgen deprivation therapy is usually the choice of treatment. ADT is also the only option in patients with prostate cancer who are unfit or unwilling to undergo surgery or/and radiation therapy.

Treating Prostate Cancer That Doesnt Go Away Or Comes Back After Treatment

If your prostate-specific antigen blood level or another test shows that your prostate cancer has not been cured or has come back after the initial treatment, further treatment can often still be helpful. Follow-up treatment will depend on where the cancer is thought to be and what treatment you’ve already had. Imaging tests such as CT, MRI, or bone scans may be done to get a better idea about where the cancer is.

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How Will My Cancer Be Monitored

Your doctor will talk to you about how often you should have check-ups. At some hospitals, you may not have many appointments at the hospital itself. Instead, you may talk to your doctor or nurse over the telephone. You might hear this called self-management.

You will have regular PSA tests. This is often a useful way to check how well your treatment is working. Youll also have regular blood tests to see whether your cancer is affecting other parts of your body, such as your liver, kidneys or bones.

You might have more scans to see how your cancer is responding to treatment and whether your cancer is spreading.

Your doctor or nurse will also ask you how youre feeling and if you have any symptoms, such as pain or tiredness. This will help them understand how youre responding to treatment and how to manage any symptoms. Let them know if you have any side effects from your treatment. There are usually ways to manage these.

What Is The Prognosis For People Who Have Prostate Cancer

Home Remedies for Prostate Cancer

Because prostate cancer tends to grow slowly, most men die from something other than the disease. Early detection is key to better outcomes. Almost all men 97% to 98% diagnosed with localized cancer that hasnt spread outside of the prostate live at least five years after diagnosis. When metastatic cancer has spread outside of the gland, one-third of men continue to survive after five years.

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How We Treat Prostate Cancer

The prognosis for metastatic prostate cancer can be discouraging, but some treatment centerslike the Johns Hopkins Precision Medicine Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancerspecialize in innovative, individualized therapy with the potential to improve outcomes.

What Will This Summary Tell Me

This summary will tell you about:

  • What localized prostate cancer is
  • Common treatment options for localized prostate cancer
  • What researchers found about how the treatments compare
  • Possible side effects of the treatments
  • Things to talk about with your doctor

This summary does not cover:

  • How to prevent prostate cancer
  • Less common treatments for localized prostate cancer, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound , cryotherapy , proton-beam radiation therapy , and stereotactic body radiation therapy
  • Herbal products or vitamins and minerals
  • Treatments for cancer that has spread outside the prostate gland

*In this summary, the term doctor refers to your health care professional, including your primary care physician, urologist, oncologist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

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Cancer That Clearly Has Spread

If the cancer has spread outside the prostate, it will most likely go to nearby lymph nodes first, and then to bones. Much less often the cancer will spread to the liver or other organs.

When prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body , hormone therapy is probably the most effective treatment. But it isnt likely to cure the cancer, and at some point it might stop working. Usually the first treatment is a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist, LHRH antagonist, or orchiectomy, sometimes along with an anti-androgen drug or abiraterone. Another option might be to get chemotherapy along with the hormone therapy. Other treatments aimed at bone metastases might be used as well.

There Are Different Types Of Treatment For Patients With Prostate Cancer

The 4 Types of Prostate Cancer Treatment | Prostate Cancer Staging Guide

Different types of treatment are available for patients withprostate cancer. Some treatments are standard , and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.

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Prostate Cancer: Screening And Treatment

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. While many prostate cancers grow slowly and remain localized, other types are aggressive and spread quickly. That’s why Dr. Carlos Vargas, a Mayo Clinic radiation oncologist encourages regular screening. He says the goal of screening is to detect prostate cancer early, when it’s still confined to the prostate gland and has the best chance for successful treatment.

“It’s important to get adequate screening, and screening for prostate cancer is relatively simple. You can have a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test with your primary care doctor once a year, and with this, you can tailor adequate procedures based on your age and other risk factors,” says Dr. Vargas.

The prostate-specific antigen test is a blood test used to measure the amount of prostate-specific antigen in your blood. High levels may indicate the presence of cancer. Other conditions also may increase this level. It’s important to discuss with your health care professional if the prostate-specific antigen test is right for you based on your personal risk level and age.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video is available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network. Name super/CG: Carlos Vargas, M.D/Radiation Oncology/Mayo Clinic

If Treatment Does Not Work

Recovery from cancer is not always possible. If the cancer cannot be cured or controlled, the disease may be called advanced or terminal.

This diagnosis is stressful, and for some people, advanced cancer may be difficult to discuss. However, it is important to have open and honest conversations with your health care team to express your feelings, preferences, and concerns. The health care team has special skills, experience, and knowledge to support patients and their families and is there to help. Making sure a person is physically comfortable, free from pain, and emotionally supported is extremely important.

People who have advanced cancer and who are expected to live less than 6 months may want to consider hospice care. Hospice care is designed to provide the best possible quality of life for people who are near the end of life. You and your family are encouraged to talk with the health care team about hospice care options, which include hospice care at home, a special hospice center, or other health care locations. Nursing care and special equipment, including a hospital bed, can make staying at home a workable option for many families. Learn more about advanced cancer care planning.

After the death of a loved one, many people need support to help them cope with the loss. Learn more about grief and loss.

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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.

Are There Side Effects

Prostate cancer (overview, symptoms, causes, stages, diagnosis, treatment)

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.

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Hormonal Therapy And Its Complications

Several different hormonal approaches are used in the management of various stages of prostate cancer.

These approaches include the following:

Abiraterone acetate

Abiraterone acetate has been shown to improve OS when added to ADT in men with advanced prostate cancer who have castration-sensitive disease. Abiraterone acetate is generally well-tolerated however, it is associated with an increase in the mineralocorticoid effects of grade 3 or 4 hypertension and hypokalemia compared with ADT alone. It may also be associated with a small increase in respiratory disorders.

Bilateral orchiectomy

Benefits of bilateral orchiectomy include the following:

  • Ease of the procedure.
  • Immediacy in lowering testosterone levels.
  • Low cost relative to the other forms of ADT.

Disadvantages of bilateral orchiectomy include the following:

  • Psychological effects.

Bilateral orchiectomy has also been associated with an elevated risk of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

Estrogen therapy

Estrogens at a dose of 3 mg qd ofdiethylstilbestrol will achieve castrate levels of testosterone. Likeorchiectomy, estrogens may cause loss of libido and impotence. Estrogens also cause gynecomastia, and prophylactic low-dose radiation therapy to the breasts is given to prevent this complication.

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist therapy

Evidence :

Antiandrogen therapy

ADT

Evidence :

Antiadrenal therapy

How Is Prostate Cancer Treated

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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    Watchful Waiting Or Active Surveillance/active Monitoring

    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.

    What Are The Stages Of Prostate Cancer

    About Advanced (Metastatic) Prostate Cancer

    Your healthcare provider uses the Gleason score and Grade Groups to stage prostate cancer based on its projected aggressiveness. To get this information, the pathologist:

    • Assigns a grade to each type of cell in your sample. Cells are graded on a scale of three to five . Samples that test in the one to two range are considered normal tissue.
    • Adds together the two most common grades to get your Gleason score .
    • Uses the Gleason score to place you into a Grade Group ranging from one to five. A Gleason score of six puts you in Grade Group 1 . A score of nine or higher puts you in Grade Group five . Samples with a higher portion of more aggressive cells receive a higher Grade Group.

    Recommended Reading: Prostate Cancer Treatments Pros And Cons

    What Else Should You Consider

    Remember, you have options, and itâs important to choose the one that works best for you. When choosing a treatment, think about:

    • The risks. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of each type of therapy.
    • The side effects. Consider whether or not youâre willing to deal with how the treatment might make you feel.
    • Whether or not you need it. Not all men with prostate cancer need to be treated right away.
    • Your age and overall health. For older men or those with other serious health conditions, treatment may be less appealing than watchful waiting.

    Show Sources

    American Cancer Society: âCan Prostate Cancer be Found Early?â âConsidering Prostate Cancer Treatment Options,â âHormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer,â âHow is Prostate Cancer Treated,â âProstate Cancer,â âWhat is Prostate Cancer?â âCryotherapy for Prostate Cancer,â âRadiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer,â âSurgery for Prostate Cancer,â âVaccine Treatment for Prostate Cancer.â

    National Cancer Institute: âProstate Cancer Treatment.â

    Prostate Cancer Foundation: âOther Treatment Options,â âProstatectomy ,â âRadiation Therapy,â âSide Effects,â âTreatment Options.â

    UpToDate: âBone metastases in advanced prostate cancer: Management.â

    Cancer.Net: âProstate Cancer: Types of Treatment.â

    Stage Iv Prostate Cancer Prognosis

    Prostate cancers detected at the distant stage have an average five-year survival rate of 28 percent, which is much lower than local and regional cancers of the prostate. This average survival rate represents stage IV prostate cancers that have metastasized beyond nearby areas to lymph nodes, organs or bones in other parts of the body.

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    Treatments To Help Manage Symptoms

    Advanced prostate cancer can cause symptoms, such as bone pain. Speak to your doctor or nurse if you have symptoms there are treatments available to help manage them. The treatments above may help to delay or relieve some symptoms. There are also specific treatments to help manage symptoms you may hear these called palliative treatments. They include:

    This is the team of health professionals involved in your care. It is likely to include:

    • a specialist nurse
    • a chemotherapy nurse
    • a diagnostic radiographer
    • a therapeutic radiographer
    • other health professionals, such as a dietitian or physiotherapist.

    Your MDT will meet to discuss your diagnosis and treatment options. You might not meet all the health professionals straight away.

    Your main point of contact might be called your key worker. This is usually your clinical nurse specialist , but might be someone else. The key worker will co-ordinate your care and help you get information and support. You may also have close contact with your GP and the practice nurses at your GP surgery.

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