Making the choice
When Doug was diagnosed with prostate cancer*, his first response was to get information. He read countless books, articles, and studies on prostate cancer, which made him feel more prepared for the hard times that lay ahead. He also sought out a second opinion for peace of mind. His wife was of great support, connecting him with the “Man-to-Man” support group of prostate cancer survivors.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, an oncologist (a doctor specializing in treating cancers) will give you your treatment options and will be responsible for your care. You may have to try more than one treatment, or combine treatments, depending on your age, medical condition, and overall health, and on the size, aggressiveness, and spread of the cancer.
Doctors gave Doug a choice between radiation and removal of the prostate. Both specialists told him surgery for total removal of the prostate, called a radical prostactectomy, was the best option, but it was his decision.
Making a decision about cancer treatment is tough. “The key is to do your research – no one choice is right, it has to be right for you. Do it, get on with it and don’t ever regret,” Doug reflects. In the end, he chose surgery.
What treatment(s) are available for prostate cancer?
- Surgery (prostatectomy) – removal of the prostate gland. The entire tumour is normally removed in a one-time procedure. This form of treatment has the highest survival rate, at 97%, and men opting for this choice generally live longer, with a 15-year survival rate of 80%.
- Radiation/brachytherapy – tumour cells are killed by external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy (surgical implantation of radioactive seeds). This is a good option for older men or for men who are not considered good candidates for surgery. This treatment choice offers about a 65% 15-year survival rate.
- Hormone therapy – blocks hormones such as testosterone from helping tumours grow. This therapy targets testosterone, which is known to help tumours grow; this therapy can thus help cause the tumours to shrink.
- Cryotherapy – freezing the tumour with liquid nitrogen to kill cancer cells. This treatment avoids surgery and may be more suitable for men who are not good surgery candidates (older men, men with other medical complications).
- Chemotherapy – drugs that can target and destroy cell that grow rapidly, such as cancer cells. Chemotherapy travels in the blood stream and can reach cancer cells in distant organs that may have not been removed by surgery or may not be the target of radiation treatment.
Prostate cancers that are detected and treated at the earliest stages are often cured, but often at the expense of some degree of continuing incontinence or impotence. Nevertheless, in some cases, the cancer can recur or spread to other organs in the body. Frequent physical exams and PSA blood tests are used to determine whether the cancer has returned.
Is treatment always necessary?
Some slow-growing early-stage prostate cancers may not require immediate therapy. Through regular testing, the progress of the disease and the level of your physical comfort can be monitored. For older men with other medical problems, this “watchful waiting” may be less disruptive than starting cancer therapy. Men who chose the “watchful waiting” treatment option generally have a 50% to 60% 15-year survival rate.
*See previous article from Pharmasave called “You Have Prostate Cancer”
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