Prostate cancer is the most common of all of the cancers that men can get, striking one in every six men. Older men and men of African American heritage are the most likely part of the population being diagnosed and needing cancer prostate treatment. The good news is that if the cancer is detected early, the cure rate is extremely high; over 90% in most cases. One of the reasons for the high cure rate is the fact that the cancer tends to be slow-moving one most of the time. The key is in getting annual screenings by the age of 50, and seeking  cancer prostate  treatment right away if the disease is indeed diagnosed.

Surgical options as a cancer prostate  treatment

For many men, surgery will be the first step in cancer prostate  treatment. The type of surgery that your doctor recommends will be determined by whether the cancer has spread outside of the prostate and how aggressive the cancer is. In many cases, your doctor can now perform prostate removal through a laparoscopic procedure. The advantages to this type of surgery as opposed to the traditional surgical procedure are many, and can include a shorter hospital stay, less bleeding during the surgery and less pain afterward. If surgery is in your future as a part of your cancer prostate treatment, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor about which surgical procedure will be the best for you.

Radiation as a cancer prostate teatment

Another possible cancer prostate treatment to consider is radiation therapy. This treatment is generally conducted five days a week for about eight or nine weeks. You will receive the treatment at a facility with an x-ray technician who will direct radiation at the cancer location with the use of a radiation machine. There are some side effects to radiation therapy, and most will be mild and disappear within a few weeks after completing the treatment. However, there is the possibility of more severe side effects from this type of cancer prostate  treatment, including erectile dysfunction and urinary tract complications. Because of this, it is important to weigh all of your options in cancer prostate  treatment before making a decision about radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy as a cancer prostate treatment

Chemotherapy is the cancer prostate  treatment of choice in cases where the disease is advanced or has not responded well to other forms of treatment. With chemotherapy, cancer-killing drugs are given to the patient intravenously in a series of cycles that will usually continue anywhere from three to six months. Chemotherapy is a strong drug that carries with it many unpleasant side effects, which is why it is usually given at the end of the cancer prostate treatment.

Prostate cancer can be a scary diagnosis for any patient. Fortunately, there are many good options in cancer prostate  treatment to help someone who is diagnosed with the disease beat the illness and live a long, healthy life. The type of cancer prostate treatment will be determined by you and your doctor, and will depend on the stage of the disease as well as the rate of growth. In some cases, the best treatment may simply be a ‘watch and wait’ approach. The good news is that there are many options available for cancer prostate treatment with some even curing the prostate cancer.

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Surgical castration by orchidectomy

Surgical castration is the simplest and cheapest way to treat metastatic prostate cancer. The obvious disadvantage is the psychological effect of the loss of the testicles.

LHRH-analogues

LHRH-analogues and oestrogen achieve a “medical castration” by stopping the testicular production of testosterone. LHRH-analogues are injections that have to be given monthly or three monthly for the rest of the patient’s life. They are effective but very expensive.

Oestrogen

Oestrogen can be taken orally on a daily basis. It has a high incidence of thrombotic complications such as stroke and myocardial infarction.

Anti-androgens

Anti-androgens oppose the action of testosterone by blocking the androgen receptors. The incidence of erectile dysfunction is less than with surgical or medical orchidectomy because testosterone levels are maintained in the bloodstream. Anti-androgens alone are probably not adequate treatment for metastatic disease. Total androgen blockade by a combination of steroidal anti-androgens and LHRH-analogues or orchidectomy has not been shown to be better than LHRH-analogues or orchidectomy alone. However, non-steroidal anti-androgens yields slightly better results than castration alone.

Locally advanced disease without metastases.

The overall results of treatment of patients with disease beyond the prostate are not good. Some patients with early disease beyond the prostatic capsule, and no evidence of metastases, benefit from radical treatment. The most widely used treatment regimens consist of a combination of radiotherapy and hormonal treatment.

Treatment options for locally advanced and metastatic disease.

· Early hormonal treatment
· Watchful waiting with hormonal treatment once symptoms develop

Disease that has spread to the seminal vesicles and beyond is not real curable.

Prostate cancer is dependent on the male hormone testosterone. 80% of patients will respond to hormonal treatment that deprives the tumor of testosterone. This response usually involves the shrinkage of metastases and symptomatic improvement for the patient. The response to hormonal treatment is not a cure but can last for many years in some patients. The average duration of response is 2 years. Most cancers eventually escape hormonal manipulation. This is referred to as hormone independent disease and is usually followed by death within a few months.

Controversy exists regarding the timing of hormonal treatment. Most studies indicate a survival benefit for early rather than late hormonal maneuver. Testosterone deprivation has side effects like erectile dysfunction, breast enlargement and osteoporosis. The earlier hormonal treatment is instituted the greater the chance of complications. Once again treatment has to be individualized to the needs of the specific patient.

With our next information - we will inform you about the “Staging and grading of prostate cancer” - so you should have a look on this site in the next 2 weeks! If you have any question sends us your e-mail.

Fritz Frei make it easy to check out the important details about the diagnoses and test’s of the Male - Prostate-Cancer. To receive more information’s about all cancer -questions - Links and last research NEW’s - visit the http://www.cancer-info.info

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Pomegranates have long been used in traditional folk remedies to treat sore throats, inflammation, and rheumatism. And recent scientific research has suggested they are also potentially effective in both preventing and treating prostate cancer.

One study, conducted on human prostate cancer cells in lab dishes, at the University of Wisconsin, found that there were dose dependant improvements. Another study at the same facility injected mice with human prostate cancer cells. These mice developed malignancies. Some mice were fed plain water, whilst two other groups of mice were given water mixed with different concentrations of pomegranate extract.

Those mice that had water only had tumors that grew much faster than the pomegranate and water groups. The quantities given to the mice were comparable to that which people might get if they drank pomegranate juice on a daily basis. And whilst pomegranate juice hasn’t been tested on humans with prostate cancer yet, the results are very good.

The study did not indicate what aspects of pomegranate juice were responsible for slowing down prostate tumour growth. But the scientists involved did mention the antioxidant polyphenolic compounds, which are more effective than green tea and red wine.

Pomegranate extract not only inhibited the growth of cancer cells, it also worked by another means - apoptosis.

Apoptosis refers to a way that cells can die. Cancer growths are characterized by an uncontrolled growth of cells that do not follow the normal processes of cellular differentiation of regular, healthy cells. Cellular differentiation means that the characteristics of a cell change and get the functions that a mature, healthy cell would. For example, liver cells have specialized liver functions, as do prostate, breast, kidney, and all other types of cells. This is normal and healthy.

In tumour growths, although some cells fully differentiate, many only differentiate partially, and some not at all. And the tumors which have more undifferentiated cells grow faster. So, inducing cellular differentiation is one approach to cancer treatment. The other two ways that doctors and researchers try to treat cancer is by causing the death of cancerous cells. They do this through apoptosis, mentioned above, and necrosis.

In apoptosis, cell death is programmed into the cell when it is ‘born’. So the cell dies in a more natural way that is less destructive on its environment. By this I mean it doesn’t cause inflammation and the damage associated with it to neighboring cells that may be healthy. Cells die either when they reach cellular old age or when their death benefits the body as a whole. Necrosis, on the other hand, does cause inflammation.

Generally, prostate cancer grows very slowly, although it is unpredictable and can grow quickly and spread.

References:
1. John Boik, Cancer and Natural Medicine (Oregon Medical Press, 1996)
2. Australian Healthy Food, March, 2006
3. www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=62811
4. health prostate supplement, click here, and check out the prostate health tips. Maca root is another great supplement for regulating and normalizing hormones, for both men and women. Rebecca Prescott runs this website that provides researched information on vitamins and supplements.

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