Risks and Benefits of Common Prostate Cancer Treatment

Some of the causes and risk factors that you should know about prostate cancer can be any of the following:

Age : If you are older than 50 then you are more prone to develop prostate cancer. Because prostate cancer in men less than 40 is usually rare.

Family History : The positive family history of prostate cancer can be the greater risk factor for you. You should go for regular screening if your father, brother or son was previously affected by prostate cancer.

Genetics : certain changes or abnormalities in the genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Diet : If you take an excess amount of red meat or processed meat, then you should change this dietary habit to more fruits and vegetables in order to decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

Obesity : There is a positive correlation between being an overweight person and an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Smoking : Smoking can be the risk of many cancers in the body including prostate cancer.
Physical activity: You should exercise daily even for a short period of time in order to lower the risk of prostate cancer.

Exposure to certain chemicals : Prolonged exposure to certain chemicals like cadmium has been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Prostate Inflammation : Swelling in the prostate gland is associated with developing prostate cancer in men.

Path to Improved Health

Improving health after prostate cancer is an approach that involves medications, techniques and making positive lifestyle changes. Here are some of the steps you can take on the path to improve your health after the diagnosis of prostate cancer:

Watchful Waiting

Watchful waiting in prostate cancer involves closely monitoring the nature of cancer cells without doing any treatment. It is suitable for older patients who have low risk tumors or limited life expectancy. Watchful waiting is used for them because treatment’s side effects may outweigh benefits. If cancer progresses aggressively, active treatment should be started.

Surgery

Surgery can be used to treat prostate cancer. The surgical procedure is performed in which the prostate gland is removed. This is known as radical prostatectomy. 

The surgery can be performed with large incisions or by minimally invasive technique where small incisions are made during surgery.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy in cancer involves using high-energy radiation to target and destroy cancer cells. It causes tumors to shrink. It can be delivered externally, which is external beam radiation or internally, which is known as brachytherapy, to treat various types of cancer.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is used to treat prostate cancer, in which the drugs are used to kill or limit the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be used with other treatments when a combination of treatments is required to deal with prostate cancer.

Cryotherapy

In cryotherapy treatment of prostate cancer, extreme cold temperatures are used to freeze the cancer cells and destroy them. It is mostly used when cancer cells are localized in the prostate gland.

Hormone Therapy

In the treatment of hormone therapy for prostate cancer, male hormones, known as androgens are reduced to limit the growth of cancer cells. It is because cancer cells need this hormone to grow and spread.

Things to Consider

Before starting the treatment of prostate cancer, you should have some things to consider. These are:

Grade and Stage of Cancer

You should have the knowledge of the grade and stage of cancer.

Grade of the cancer tells us the nature of cancer cells in the prostate and how aggressively they are growing in the gland. While staging of cancer tells us the extent of cancer cells in the gland or in the surrounding tissues. 

Both of these things should be considered before starting the treatment of prostate cancer.

Age and Lifespan

Treatment should be planned according to the age of the patient at the time of diagnosis. The dosage of chemotherapy is set according to the age of the patient.

If the doctor expects the short life-span of a man with prostate cancer, then he may recommend watchful waiting before starting any treatment. It will be beneficial to improve the quality of life.

Overall State of Health

The overall state of health must be considered before starting any treatment because aggressive treatments may further affect the health of a patient. Some patients have more disadvantages of a treatment than the benefits just because of their poor state of health. So it is an important thing to consider.

Any Medicines you take or other Conditions you have

Before starting any treatment for prostate cancer, it is very important to consider all the medicines a patient is taking. It is also important to know about other health conditions a patient may have.

These factors can impact treatment choices and their side effects. It is considered to make a personalized treatment protocol and safe management of prostate cancer.

Lifestyle Changes

While you are having prostate cancer treatment, you should also adopt a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, regular exercise, no smoking, limited alcohol, stress management, and regular medical check-ups for overall well-being and reduced cancer recurrence risk.

Recovery Time

Recovery time should be considered according to the condition of the patient at the time of diagnosis. It can also vary from individual to individual because of the different nature of cancer and the extent to which cancer has spread. 

Recovery time can be less for some and maybe more for others. But, no false hope should be given.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

You should ask these questions to your doctor before starting any treatment for prostate cancer:

• What are the other treatment options available for prostate cancer?
• What are the benefits and risks of each treatment option?
• How will each treatment option affect my daily life?
• Are there any experimental treatments that I could consider?
• What is the recovery time for each treatment?
• How will treatment affect my sexual function and overall quality of life?
• Can you explain the costs involved in each treatment option?
• How can I make decisions about treatment?

What are the Risks and Benefits of Radical Prostatectomy?

Some Risks of Radical Prostatectomy are:

• Erectile Dysfunction
• Urinary Incontinence
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Damage to nearby structures or nerves

Benefits of Radical Prostatectomy

• Potential for cure, especially in early-stage prostate cancer.
• Removal of cancerous prostate and surrounding tissues.
• Accurate staging and grading of cancer for further treatment planning.
• Relief from urinary symptoms related to an enlarged prostate.
• Decreased risk of cancer recurrence if the cancer is just inside the prostate.

What are the Risks and Benefits of Radiation Therapy?

Risks of Radiation Therapy

• Fatigue
• Skin Irritation
• Urinary and Bowel Changes
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Secondary Cancers

Benefits of Radiation Therapy

• Effective Local Control
• Organ Preservation
• Non-Invasive
• Procedure can be performed in outpatient department
• Option for Some Advanced Cases of prostate cancer

What are the Risks and Benefits of Hormone Therapy?

Risks of Hormone Therapy

• Loss of Libido
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Hot Flashes
• Weakness of bones
• Increased Risk of heart diseases

Benefits of Hormone Therapy

• Reduced Prostate Cancer Growth
• Shrinkage of Tumors
• Slowed Cancer Progression
• Relief of Prostate Cancer Symptoms
• Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer

FAQs 

What are the Advantages of Prostate Cancer Surgery?

The advantages of prostate cancer surgery are the removal of cancerous prostate and relief from urinary symptoms.

What is the Main Risk of Prostate Cancer?

The main risk of prostate cancer is its growth and spread to other parts of the body. It makes it difficult to treat.

What are the Pros and Cons of Cancer Treatment?

Pros : Targeting and reducing cancer cells and improved quality of life. 
Cons : Side effects and no guarantee of a cure.

What are Two Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer?

having age greater than 50 and positive family history of prostate cancer can be two risk factors.

What is the Success Rate of Prostate Surgery

The success rate depends on factors like cancer stage, grade, and surgeon's skill.

How is Life after Prostate Surgery?

Some men experience temporary side effects like urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, while others can do normal activities of daily living.

Does all Prostate Cancer Need Radiation?

No, treatment plans are based on factors like cancer stage, grade, and spread beyond the prostate.

What to Expect after the Prostate is Removed?

You should expect some side effects which can improve with time and recovery.

Which Prostate Cancer Treatment is Best?

Best treatment is designed by professionals according to the person’s condition. Sometimes a combination of treatments proves beneficial.

What is the Normal Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

Treatment options for prostate cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and active surveillance.