What is prostate cancer: general overview
Prostate cancer is a cancer of the prostate gland. It is the most common cancer in men in developed countries and the second most frequent cancer in men in the world. It is also the second leading cause of death from cancer in men (developed countries). Over one million men worldwide are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year (roughly 15 percent of all cancers diagnosed in men). When prostate cancer is caught early, it can be treated effectively; however, it is still the fifth leading cause of death from cancer in men taking into account all countries (roughly 300,000 annual deaths).
Many men have major concerns about the side effects of prostate cancer treatments and the impact those treatments will have on their quality of life. While these concerns are justified, there are many misunderstandings about the severity and duration of side effects.
Understanding the different options for the treatment of prostate cancer is important for quality of life.
Men who require treatment typically select one of the following treatment options:
Prostatectomy (Surgery): This is the surgical removal of the prostate, generally done by urologists. When possible, doctors try to reduce the side effect of sexual dysfunction by performing a nerve-sparing procedure.
External Beam Radiation (External Radiation): A radiation oncologist uses a high-energy x-ray machine (or sometimes protons using proton-beam therapy machines) to direct radiation into prostate while minimizing radiation to the bladder and rectum.
Brachytherapy (Internal Radiation): Around 100 tiny radioactive “seeds” are implanted into the prostate by a radiation oncologist. This is sometimes done in combination with other forms of radiation therapy.
Each of these therapies has a high success rate for treating early-stage prostate cancer, and evidence so far has failed to show that any one treatment is more successful than another.