Treatment of prostate cancer. Simple tips!
Treatment of cancer of the prostate is possible by several methods. The choice of treatment depends on many factors: stage of disease, test results, concomitant diseases, possible complications, age of the patient's attitude to treatment.
Methods of treatment of prostate cancer
- Medication,
- Surgical,
- Radiation therapy.
If we are talking about elderly patients with severe concomitant diseases, possible expectant management. In this case the patient is under the supervision of a physician, he do the necessary tests and other investigations, however, special treatment is not carried out. This tactic is used in cases when the tumor grows slowly and does not behave aggressively.
The treatment of prostate cancer with drugs
- Hormonal therapy
- Chemotherapy
Hormonal therapy is aimed at blocking production of testosterone, excess of which is one of the causes of the disease. The patient made injections of special medications in a certain rhythm.
Medical scientists are constantly researching and offering new drugs, including those in tablet form. Hope for a cure give such drugs for hormone therapy, as MDV 3100 and Orteronel. Now over clinical research in France for use in hormone therapy prostate cancer drugs Orion and Astellas.
Chemotherapy for prostate cancer aimed at blocking development of cancer cells. Used drugs of different groups and different mechanisms of action, but they have one goal, the destruction of tumor cells. This method of treatment is used with the ineffectiveness of hormonal therapy or in the later stages of the disease.
Why chemotherapy is rarely used in the early development of the tumor? Because in the early stages it gives little effect, and side effects are very tangible. Chemotherapy drugs are injected into the blood, thus affecting cells not only prostate but also other organs. In addition, the drugs for chemotherapy damage not only cancer cells but some healthy cells, causing damage to the body. At later stages, especially when beginning to develop metastases, the use of chemotherapy is justified as it allows you to slow tumor growth and alleviates pain experienced by the patients.
Until recently, drugs for chemotherapy prostate cancer were few, the main drug was Taxotere. Now developing new, more effective drugs.
Radiation therapy prostate cancer
The impact of radionuclides (isotopes of radium, iodine, cobalt and others) destroys the malignant tissue and disrupts the DNA structure of irradiated cells. This action leads to the fact that tumor cells lose their ability to divide.
One of the types of radiation therapy brachytherapy for prostate cancer. In another way, this method is called contact radiation therapy. The radiation source is injected directly into the affected organ. Brachytherapy allows higher doses of radiation without affecting healthy tissue. The efficiency of the contact exposure is much higher.
Brachytherapy is shown in 1 and 2 stages of prostate cancer when the tumor does not extend beyond the organ and did not spread to the lymph nodes.
A method of brachytherapy may be used under ultrasound control (when the volume of the breast is no more than 50-60 cm3) or under the control of computer tomography (prostate volume of 60-100 cm3).
Surgical treatment
Surgery for cancer of the prostate remains the main treatment. As a rule,a radical prostatectomy removal of the prostate gland and regional lymph nodes. Made in the early stages of the operation, usually brings good results. In most cases, preserves the functions of the bladder, sphincter of the rectum and sexual function. Patient survival within 10 years 80%. In cases where the doctor sees a high risk of recurrence, the patient after the operation is assigned additional chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Contraindications to surgery
- Old age,
- Cardiovascular disease,
- Thrombophlebitis,
- The state of the immune system.
Methods perform operations on radical prostatectomy
- Open radical prostatectomy,
- Endoscopic radical prostatectomy.
Of course, endoscopic surgery tolerated much easier, as it is less traumatic. In recent years, to perform many of the operations applied to computer technology. In particular, it is recognized that the best method of performing operations on the prostate is the operation by setting called the Da Vinci robot.