The prostate is a small walnut-sized gland present at the base of the urinary bladder and found only in men. About 5 to 8 men in 1,00,000 are affected by prostate cancer in India. The incidence of prostate cancer is higher among other countries worldwide.
Prostate cancer symptoms include frequent urination, impaired urine flow, pain during ejaculation, pain in the upper thighs, lower back, etc , weight loss and loss of appetite
About 70% of men affected by prostate cancer receive the diagnosis during Stage III and later. Prostate cancer remains one of the top cancers occurring in men. In spite of its increasing incidence, it is a less aggressive cancer type and is treatable.
Read on to find out more about prostate cancer treatment options available today with us at the Urethra clinic. We have the best team for the treatment of prostate cancer. We offer individualized treatment options according to your specific health status giving the best results.
Table of content
Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye:
After all the necessary investigations such as a biopsy and imaging techniques, we will determine the stage of your cancer before deciding upon the best form of prostate cancer treatment. The staging of cancer will determine the type of treatment you will need. Let’s explore each of these prostate cancer treatments and their benefits.
1.Radiation therapy
- This therapy uses high energy rays targeted at the cancer cells to destroy them.
- Based on the stage of cancer and after determining your needs, radiation therapy is used to :
- Destroy cancer cells that are still localized to the prostate gland known as curative radiotherapy. This form of prostate cancer treatment yields the best results for you.
- Enhance the effects of other treatments such as chemotherapy or used prior to surgical interventions to remove the cancer. This type of radiation therapy as part of prostate cancer treatment is known as neo adjuvant radiotherapy.
- Get rid of the cancer completely from the body. This is known as curative radiotherapy. With this form of treatment, a radical cure can be achieved.
- Diminish the chances of the cancer returning post surgery. This type of prostate cancer treatment is known as adjuvant radiotherapy.
- Used as prostate treatment to alleviate the symptoms when a radical cure cannot be the standard expected outcome.
Radiotherapy may be administered in many ways. Your radiation oncologist will recommend the best form of radiotherapy for your needs.
a. External beam radiation therapy- EBRT
- In EBRT, the radiation is targeted at the prostate gland from a source outside the body- such as the LINAC
- This type of radiation therapy is mostly administered when the cancer is in the initial treatable stages as a treatment for prostate cancer.
- It is also used to alleviate symptoms when the cancer has metastasized to areas such as the bone .
- In EBRT, the nearby healthy cells are kept safe and not exposed to the radiation.
- The preparation takes longer but the procedure is more like an Xray and lasts a few minutes.
- You may need to take treatment 4 to 5 times a week as prescribed.
b. Brachytherapy
- Brachytherapy is a type of treatment in which a radioactive material is introduced into the body.
- This material emits radiation to the targeted body parts as intended and kills the cancer cells.
- The material is embedded into a pellet, wire, capsule etc and is implanted using a needle or catheter.
- The radiation from the agent destroys the DNA of the cancer cells that ultimately destroys them.
- Brachytherapy implants in treatment for prostate cancer are done as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia.
- You will be able to go home the same day after the procedure
- Using brachytherapy helps to deliver higher doses of the radiation to the prostate gland while protecting the surrounding tissues.
Benefits of radiation therapy
- Provides a radical cancer cure when the malignancy is local and confined to the specific tissues.
- Helps to lessen the intensity and frequency of the symptoms.
- Manages the existing condition and prepares you for the upcoming surgical procedure.
- It is a quick and painless procedure among the treatments for prostate cancer.
2.Hormone therapy:
Prostate cells require male hormones including testosterone or dihydrotestoster one and other androgens for their division. Hormone therapy involves the suppression of these hormones that decrease the proliferation of the cancerous prostate cells, and eventually die.
Hormone therapy is used in conjunction with other forms of therapy to reduce the tumor size
It may also be used to prepare the system for a planned surgery or an upcoming radiation session.
Benefits :
- The use of LHRH agonists such as leuprolide, Triptorelin etc shrink the size of the testicles which eventually become impalpable.
- LHRH antagonists including Degarelix and Relugolix induce a form of hormone reaction that causes a fall in testosterone levels.
- When surgery or radiation may not be indicated , hormone therapy can be used to diminish the growth and improve symptom occurrence.
3.Chemotherapy
- When the cancer has reached beyond the prostate gland, chemotherapy as a treatment for prostate cancer is used to improve the condition.
- When hormonal therapy alone may not be enough, coupling it with chemotherapy improves the efficiency of the treatment.
- You may need to take 4 to 6 cycles as advised.
- In chemotherapy intravenous drugs are administered in cycles and the procedure lasts a few weeks as a treatment for prostate cancer.
Benefits:
- Used to decrease the troubling symptoms
- Helps to increase survival rate when surgery has failed or the growth recurs.
- Improves the quality of life in patients where hormonal therapy alone is not giving expected clinical outcomes.
4. Freezing or heating prostate tissue
- Cryotherapy is a procedure that exposes the prostate cells to subzero temperatures and destroys them.
- Also known as thermal ablation or thermal therapy, the cells of the prostate are heated to as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit .
- Freezing the prostate tissue as a treatment for prostate cancer involves the use of special transrectal ultrasound equipment to deliver the cold gasses through fine needles.
- The procedure is done under general anesthesia.
- Heating the prostate tissue to destroy the malignant cells helps to shrink the tumor size which is then easily destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation.
Benefits:
- When used with other forms of cancer therapies, cryotherapy and thermal ablation are useful to destroy the cancer effectively.
- These therapies may be used to prepare the patient for surgery or radiation which may otherwise be not possible.
- These are beneficial for localized cancers as well as to decrease the symptoms
- These are comparatively less invasive and time consuming than other forms of treatments.
5. Immunotherapy
- This is a relatively new and upcoming field of cancer therapy also known as immuno oncology.
- The strategy is to improve the body’s own immunity and channel it towards fighting the cancer cells in the body.
- This therapy is based on the fact that by marking the cancer cells, it becomes easier for the innate immune system to destroy those cells.
Benefits:
- Immunotherapy has lesser adverse effects.
- When other treatments have failed, the body has still gained the ability to fight the cancer.
- Can be an effective adjunct to ongoing therapies
- A certain type of cell memory is developed that will fight if cancer returns ever
Takeaway
The Urethra clinic is a result of the creative efforts of Dr Vikram Shah Batra . He is a renowned urologist and continues to serve the community with his zeal and dedication. With numerous research papers to his credit and many achievements under his belt, he specializes in his care for treatments of the male genitourinary system.
We are focused on your unique needs and focus on specialized therapies. We also have telemedicine enabled consultations so that the care you need is not delayed. Schedule an appointment for a consultation and feel the difference.
