Surgery is perhaps the obvious solution for anyone facing up to prostate cancer, but it is certainly not always the only option and the range of choices is wide and growing.
Although in most cases thoughts turn to surgery when it comes to curing prostate cancer, surgery is not the only answer to this problem and one popular alternative is hormonal therapy.
If prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland itself then the surgical removal of the prostate gland is invariably the quickest, simplest and best method of treatment. However, where cancer has started to spread outside the prostate gland and, in particular, where it has spread throughout the body along the lymphatic system, many patients find that hormonal therapy is a treatment well worth considering. By targeting and reducing the quantity of the male hormone testosterone in the body, hormonal therapy literally cuts off the supply that prostate cancer feeds on to grow and spread.
Amongst the drugs commonly used for hormonal treatment is DES (diethistibestrol) which has similar properties to the female hormone estrogen. DES has the advantage of reducing many of the symptoms of prostate cancer and of prolonging life. However, it does also have a number of side effects including virtually eliminating any sex drive, reducing body hair, causing breast enlargement and, in some cases, producing scrotal shrinkage.
In more advanced cases of prostate cancer LH-RH agonists (such as Leuprolide and Goserelin) can also be used to regulate the release of testosterone into the bloodstream. A synthetic pituitary hormone, this treatment creates an initial surge of testosterone followed by a dramatic decrease to starve the cancer of its essential food. The drug is normally administered either by injection or the implantation of slow release pellets and side effects include occasional hot flushes, headaches and impotence.
One further drug in common use is Flutamide which is an antiandrogen which inhibits the action of testosterone on cancer cells. Although Flutamide can be used in isolation, it is normally used in conjunction with other hormonal drugs as pain relief in cases of advanced prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer treatment is not however limited to just surgery or hormonal therapy and other methods include immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and of course a range of natural cures.
So, if you are facing the problem of dealing with prostate cancer don't simply assume that surgery is your only option. Talk to you doctor and explore the wide range of options available before deciding on the best course of treatment.
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