Prostate Cancer TREATMENT OPTIONS

When prostate cancer is found in an early stage, immediate treatment is not always necessary. Because it's typically a slow growing cancer, most men have time to conduct research and decide on the best treatment option for you. You should also consider getting a second opinion.

How Does The Oncologist Know if Your Cancer is Slow-Growing?

The Gleason score and grade, determined during a prostate biopsy, will give an indication as to how extensive the prostate cancer is. If the results show that it's expected to grow slowly, no treatment may be needed for several months or even a few years. During this time you may be monitored with PSA tests ad even a periodic repeat of the biopsy.

This is referred to as watchful waiting or active surveillance.

There are several options for treating prostate cancer that do not require surgery. For most patients, chemotherapy is not necessary since the cancer is contained within the prostate. Some of the most common non-surgical prostate cancer treatments use radiation to kill the cancer cells while trying to protect nearby healthy prostate cells as well as other nearby organs such as the colon, bladder and more.

For most men, prostate removal surgery, known as a radical prostatectomy, is not necessary. This is especially true if the cancer is found early and/or if it’s slower growing. If surgery is required, it’s typically done laparoscopically. This uses very small incisions to insert instruments to remove the prostate and reconnect the other organs in the area.