Pros And Cons Of Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer

How Do The Treatment Options Compare

A study known as the ProtecT trial is the most important study on treatments for low-risk prostate cancer so far. ProtecT stands for prostate testing for cancer and treatment. This trial compared three treatment options: active surveillance, external radiotherapy and surgery to remove the prostate. A total of 1,643 men between the ages of 50 and 69 took part in the trial. They all agreed to be randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups. About two thirds of them had low-risk prostate cancer. The treatment outcomes were recorded over an average of ten years, and then compared with each other at the end of the trial.

The following was found over a period of ten years:

• no difference in mortality rate between the active surveillance, radiotherapy and surgical removal groups,
• a somewhat higher risk of metastases in the active surveillance group,
• a much higher risk of accidental urine leakage in men who had surgery,
• a much higher risk of erection problems in men who had radiotherapy or surgery .
• a somewhat higher risk of accidental stool leakage in men who had radiotherapy.

Based on the results of this trial and other research, we have developed a decision aid that can help men who have low-risk prostate cancer to weigh the pros and cons of the various treatment options for example, together with their friends, family and doctors.

Children Teenagers And Young Adults

Proton beam therapy can help reduce the risk of long-term effects on normal cells, such as the brain or bones.

It is mainly used to treat some types of brain tumour. But it can also be used to treat:

• types of soft tissue sarcoma, such as rhabdomyosarcoma and fibrosarcoma
• types of primary bone cancer, such Ewings sarcoma
• cancers in the pelvic area
• cancers in the head and neck area.

Positioning For Proton Beam Treatment

Positioning the body is very important. It can take several minutes for the team to adjust both you and the instruments to make sure the proton beam will reach the exact spot of the tumor.

While the treatment is happening, you must be very still on the table. The team will work with you to help keep you in place. For example, a custom-fitted mask can help those who are getting treatment for brain tumors. The mask is made of mesh that allows patients to see and breathe.

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What Is This Post All About

This is a hard decisionsurgery or radiation?

Now remember, what I am going to talk about here is for prostate cancer that hasnt spreadLOCALIZED prostate cancer.

From a 30,000-foot view, surgery and radiation or both EXCELLENT treatment choices for prostate cancer. In general, you can pick and choose certain studies to support one treatment over the other but by and large they are both EQUAL in terms of cancer control.

Now remember, I am a urologist. I try my hardest to provide as unbiased as an opinion as I can but its impossible to remove the fact that I am urologist when providing this information. This is why I will always have my patients meet with a Radiation Oncologist as well as me to hear from them about what radiation is all about as I talk to them about what surgery is all about.

If you wanna learn about the ins and outs of a robotic prostatectomy then click over here. On the flip side, if you wanna learn more about the ins and outs of radiation then click here.

How Does Cryotherapy Work

During cryotherapy, the healthcare provider applies extreme cold to abnormal tissue. Cells cant survive this severe cold and die after treatment.

Your healthcare provider can use a few different substances to create the intense cold used in cryotherapy. These substances can include:

• Liquid nitrogen.

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Going Through Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy can harm normal tissue, so its carefully planned and precisely delivered. This helps ensure the radiation kills as many cancer cells as possible while doing as little harm as possible to other parts of your body.

Radiation therapy is planned specifically for your breast cancer, the shape of your body and your internal anatomy. This is why sessions cant be split between different treatment centers.

Your treatment plan is based on:

• The tumor size, type and location
• The number of lymph nodes with cancer
• The type of breast surgery you had
• The shape of your breast or chest wall, and the shape and location of nearby organs

Advances In Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer

The bodys production of androgens drives the growth of prostate cancer. Androgen deprivation therapy uses surgery or medication to reduce the production of androgens in the testicles to attempt to slow the growth of the cancer. Hormone therapy may be combined with radiation therapy or other therapies.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists are drugs that block the pituitary gland from making hormones that stimulate the production of testosterone.

Relugolix, the first oral GnRH antagonist, was . Relugolix has been shown to be more effective in sustaining testosterone suppression than its alternative, leuprolide, while having fewer side effects.

When prostate cancer continues to grow despite the use of drugs to lower the production of androgens, its known as metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Antiandrogen drugs such as enzalutamide, abiraterone acetate, apalutamide, darolutamide and zytiga may be used to attempt to lower the production of androgens or to keep them from binding to androgen receptors on prostate cancer cells to keep the cells from growing.

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Ebrt Or External Beam Radiation Therapy

The EBRT is a 10-minute radiation therapy where a single radiation beam treats the affected local area.

Pros

The main reason why most people undertake EBRT because of its painless treatment.

Few healthy cells are also destroyed, as the single beam is used to treat a specific area.

Cons

The patient undertaking EBRT would suffer from loose stools, frequent urination, and bleeding in the rectum area.

Where You Get Treated Matters

Like all radiation therapies, brachytherapy is best administered by medical professionals who specialize in the treatment.

Fox Chase was the first to perform HDR prostate implants in the eastern United States and has one of the largest and most experienced brachytherapy programs in the region.

At Fox Chase, we have our own brachytherapy operating room in the radiation oncology department, Horwitz said. The physicians, the physicists, the nurses, the anesthesiologistsall of us do this all the time, so we’re very good at it.

Learn more about brachytherapy treatment at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

You can also request an appointment with a Fox Chase medical professional online. Or you can call .

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Know The Flow: Radiation Therapy

• Drag the appropriate choices from the column on the right and place them in order in the boxes on the left. Note that you will only use five of the six choices to complete the game.
• When done, click on ‘Check’ to see how many you got correct.
• For incorrect answers, click on ‘Description’ to review information about the processes.
• To try again, choose ‘Reset’ and start over.

• High energy waves are targeted at tumor and surrounding area
• Learn moreDamage is created within cells
• High energy waves are directed specifically at cancer cells

Surgery To Remove The Testicle Cancer Council Ns

Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering in Dogs. Neutering is the removal of the testicles. Without these organs, testicular cancer is no longer a concern and the risk of prostate problems is reduced. For those people who would like to sterilize their dog but do not wish to alter his appearance, testicular implants are available.. Pros: 1. No parts are off limits You can have laser hair removal performed anywhere on your body. Legs, bikini line, under-arms and even your face. 2. You can take it the pain, that is. Most people describe the pain level as moderate and no worse than waxing. The pain level also decreases with every treatment. 3. Fast and precis Spaying is a de-sexing procedure for female dogs. The females ovaries and uterus are removed through surgery. Neutering, also known as castration, is a de-sexing procedure that involves the removal of a male dogs testicles. Should I Spay / Neuter My Dog? Pros of Spaying Your Dog #1. No Pregnanc

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What Are The Advantages

• The main advantage of radiotherapy is that it may help to control the growth of the cancer.
• For a small number of people with borderline resectable cancer and locally advanced pancreatic cancer, radiotherapy may help to make surgery possible.
• Each treatment session will take about 30 minutes, or longer for SABR. You wont usually need to stay in hospital.
• You may be able to carry on with your daily life, such as going to work, if you feel up to it.
• If you have advanced cancer, radiotherapy can help control symptoms and relieve pain.

Radiation Therapy For Patients With Prostate Cancer

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays or particles to kill cancer cells, explain the American Cancer Society. It may be used as the first treatment for low-grade cancer that is still just in the prostate gland, which has similar cure rates to radical prostatectomy. But also as part of the first treatment for cancers that have grown outside of the prostate gland and into nearby tissues if the cancer is not removed completely or comes back in the area of the prostate after surgery, or if the cancer is advanced, to reduce the size of the tumor and to provide relief from present and possible future symptoms.

There are two main types of radiation therapy for patients with prostate cancer. External beam radiation therapy consists of placing beams of radiation on the prostate gland from a machine outside the body, and it is particularly indicated in early stages of the disease or to help relieve symptoms such as bone pain if the cancer has spread to a specific area of bone. Treatment is usually performed five days a week in an outpatient center for about 7 to 9 weeks and it takes only a few minutes. Research enabled the development of new EBRT techniques to improve precision, including three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy , intensity modulated radiation therapy , stereotactic body radiation therapy , and proton beam radiation therapy.

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Reduced Risk Of Infections

There is an episode of tonsillitis when there is a viral or bacterial attack in the throat. Once the infection spreads to the tonsils, these inflame resulting in various symptoms. Thus, if the tonsils are removed completely, the chances of infection developing reduces to almost zero. The person may still be at the risk of colds and flu, but these will cure fast as there are no chances of the infection being chronic.

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Why Do Some Men Get Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in men. Prostate cancer is a disease defined by the abnormal growth of cells. These abnormal cells can proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, if left untreated, form tumors which may metastasize or spread to other parts of the body. Prostate cancer has the potential to grow and spread quickly, but for most men, it is a relatively slow growing disease.

For men who suspect that they might have prostate cancer, it is very important to understand the risk factors and symptoms. Knowing where the prostate is located in the body, and the functions of the prostate will explain the impacts of prostate cancer and prostate cancer treatment. Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer need to discuss with their doctors their particular type, aggressive or non-aggressive, of prostate cancer. This will allow the patient, working with their doctor to determine the most effective treatment for their cancer.

The prostate cells produce an enzyme named Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA, found in a mans blood. PSA is produced exclusively by prostate cells. Elevated levels of the PSA enzyme can be helpful in diagnosing issues with the prostate, like cancer or infection. These elevated levels of PSA can be detected with a simple blood test. For more information, visit our page on PSA.

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True North Testicular Cancer

• Testicular torsion: The spermatic cord can twist, displacing the testicle and potentially leading to obstruction of blood flow, which can cause loss of the testicle if not properly corrected. This condition is a surgical emergency that needs to be urgently addressed. Undescended testes: Usually diagnosed during childhood, this condition occurs when one or both testes remain in the abdomen.
• A small incision is made in the front of the scrotum and the testicles are removed. If the cancer has already reached the bones, this is the quickest way to slow tumor growth and pain.Testosterone levels drop dramatically and the patient often has rapid relief from cancer symptoms. For sleep apnea, what are the pros/cons of the full (nose.

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Possible Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy

Radiation treatments use high energy waves to damage and kill cancer cells. Because the radiation can affect cells other than cancer cells, side effects may occur. The side effects that any given patient has depends on the type and amount of radiation used and the area being treated. In general:

• The most common side effect is fatigue
• The skin over the site of radiation may get red and/or sore.
• There are other side effects which are site-specific.
• Development of a second cancer, caused by the radiation therapy, is relatively uncommon, but can occur. How likely it is to happen depends on a several things, including the site being treated, and the age of the patient.

For all forms of radiation therapy:

• The treatment is painless
• The patient cannot see the radiation
• The patient does not glow or emit a light
• The patient is not radioactive
• The patient cannot set off alarms in a store or an airport
• The patient will not lose hair in an untreated area
• The patient should not have nausea or vomiting, unless certain organs are treated
• Radiation therapy is not the same as uncontrolled exposure to radiation
• The patient does not gain super powers

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Prostate Cancer Caregiver Podcast Series

We are proud to announce a new podcast series geared toward helping give support, hope and guidance to prostate cancer caregivers. The goal of this Prostate Cancer Caregiver Podcast Series is to help others connect with a diverse group of people who have felt the impact of prostate cancer in their lives and empower them on their journey.

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How To Prepare For Proton Therapy

First of all, it is vital to locate the nearest center because proton therapy is not available everywhere.

This type of treatment is turning into a popular alternative to radiotherapy, but you might need to travel to get your treatment. In that case, you need to make a few decisions in advance and might need to ask someone else to drive for you.

If the center is far from home, you might need to stay in the city in question.

The treatment requires going to the medical center every day, 5 days a week, for a minimum of 4 weeks.

If you can drive to the medical center and back home, it will be easier to get your treatment, and the procedure itself takes 15 minutes.

However, you probably want to save 45 minutes to 1 hour, considering the preparation, talking to the nurse or doctor, and any unexpected event.

Once you arrive at the medical center for the first time, the radiation oncology team will schedule an initial consultation. During that time, a radiation oncologist will interview you and evaluate your medical images and records. After they determine the appropriate position and angle to receive proton therapy, you will start your treatment.

The team will likely use an immobilization device to ensure that the protons reach the exact location. It is also very likely that the team will spend considerable time in achieving the proper position.

Throughout the procedure, you want to stay still. It will not be a very invasive procedure, and, likely, you wont feel a thing.

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How Do You Determine Whats Right For You

Whether youve recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer or youre dealing with recurrent or metastatic cancer, you may be facing difficult decisions about your treatment. Its normal to be unsure about what steps to take, and most patients have more than one choice.

Start by talking to your oncologist about the specifics of your case and your options. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has a helpful list of questions to ask your doctor about prostate cancer you may want to reference.

If possible, see a multi-specialty cancer care team to get a bigger picture of your case and your options. This is also important because, sometimes, factors outside of your cancer stage may impact your treatment options. For example, you may have an obstruction in your urinary tract that makes surgery a more appropriate choice than radiation. Or maybe you have another health condition that makes surgery more risky for you. In that case, radiation may be a better choice. You want these doctors to talk to one another about your case each has expertise that makes an important contribution to the decision-making process. To facilitate this coordination, you may have to set up appointments to see multiple doctors and ask them to discuss your case.

If youre interested in getting a second opinion for prostate cancer, or if youd just like to talk with someone at CTCA about your cancer care, or chat online with a member of our team.