Treatment Options Explained

Transcript

The treatment options for prostate cancer depends on whether it’s localized, advanced, or has spread outside the gland.

For prostate cancer that’s localized, the two main standard treatments are surgical removal of the prostate or radiation treatment. Radiation comes in two forms. Radiation “”seeds,”” or little grains of radiation pellets, can be implanted into the prostate. That’s called brachytherapy. Alternatively, the radiation can be delivered by shining beams of radiation from the outside of the body. That’s called external beam radiation.

For more advanced prostate cancers, sometimes hormone manipulation is done, suppressing the body’s own testosterone. Testosterone is the fuel for prostate cancer. There are advanced forms of manipulating hormones.

There are even cancer vaccines that can boost your body’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells.

Key Takeaways

1. The treatment options for prostate cancer depends on whether it’s localized, advanced, or has spread outside the gland.

2. For localized prostate cancer that’s localized, the two main treatments are surgical removal of the prostate or radiation treatment.

3. Radiation comes in two forms – brachytherapy or external beam radiation.

4. For more advanced prostate cancers, sometimes hormone manipulation is done.

5. There are even cancer vaccines that can boost your body’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells.