|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Article Navigation
|
The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment Alternativesby: George Anderson Prostate cancer is a very common problem with men over the age of 80 and it starts becoming frequent with men over 50. By the time they are 80, almost half will have some form of prostate cancer which is not noticeable. Even though it is dangerous, just like any other cancer type, prostate cancer is very seldom the cause of death for the men who have it. Although this is such a common illness, doctors are still uncertain of the precise causes for prostate cancer. Ethnicity is one of the factors that offers some differentiation, with black men the highest risk and Asian men the lowest. Curing prostate cancer is possible, but the condition has to be detected in the early stages. Many men do not even seek medical advice when the symptoms are present, partly because they are very similar to those of another disease: BPH or benign prostatic hypertrophy. Most men will experience difficulties while urinating, noticing a weak or intermittent flow of urine. Other symptoms include urgent needs to urinate or the need to wake up several times a night to do this. Some patients also observe a dribbling of urine after and even before urinating. There is no universal treatment that will work the same in individual cases. Doctors have to determine several decisive factors, such as general health condition, age, location of the tumor in the prostate, size of the tumor. The number one option for treatment is surgery. However, the main operation, known as radial prostatectomy, is extremely tiring to the body, so the patient has to be in good condition. Most surgery patients are men between 50 and 70 years of age who do not seem to have extensive cancer damage. There are some side effects involved with this procedure, mostly related to erectile dysfunctions and minor urination problems. However, modern techniques greatly reduce the side effects and the success of surgery is high. Choosing a hormone therapy is another option. This treatment does not kill the cancer cells but it reduces the size of the prostate tumor of the majority of patients. Most doctors recommend this treatment together with surgery for best effects. Cancer growth is stimulated by testosterone, the male sexual hormone, and hormone therapies reduce its level. By reducing testosterone levels, the prostate becomes less subjected to cancer cell growth. Based on patient medical history and overall health level, doctors may or may not choose to prescribe hormone therapy. Sometimes, the doctor might suggest an alternative treatment to surgery. Radiotherapy can work by destroying cancer cells through radiation. The method is painless and involves only out-body procedures. However, some side effects like diarrhea and impotence have been noticed. Brachytherapy is the other. It involves the implantation of radioactive elements in the prostate, which are inserted with the patient under anesthesia. In time, the radioactive elements loose their properties, but they also help diminish cancer cell growth. Latest Cancer News:Cancer Connection: Survivor's guilt can be painful side effect of cancer People going through cancer treatment at the same time often form their own peer group. They see each other in chemo, in radiation and in various support groups. The fortunate ones do well, but they often feel guilty when others in their cohort succumb to the disease. Cancer institute celebrates opening of expansion LITTLE ROCK ? Forty cancer survivors shared the stage with dignitaries such as Gov. Mike Beebe and former U.S. Sen. David Pryor at a ceremony today marking the opening of a 12-story expansion to the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Cancer Research UK launches new £18 million Biotherapeutics Development Unit Cancer Research UK's Drug Development Office marks the launch of its Biotherapeutics Development Unit (BDU) today (Friday) with the manufacture of its first product - an antibody for treating a range of cancers. Cancer Vaccine: 4 Months of Life Worth $100K? Prostate cancer vaccine, Provenge, adds 4 months to life, at a pricetag of 100K. The first-ever approved cancer vaccine, Provenge offers hope to men with advanced prostate cancer, but the high cost of this new treatment raises healthcare policy questions. Prostate cancer - Sipuleucel-T - Cancer - Cancer vaccine - Health CÁNCER (Julio 30) CÁNCER: No olvides desarrollar tu trabajo con organización y perseverancia. Trata de hacer algo totalmente nuevo; tus amistades serán tus mejores aliadas. Breast Cancer's DNA Yields More Secrets Title: Breast Cancer's DNA Yields More Secrets Category: Health News Created: 7/29/2010 2:10:00 PM Last Editorial Review: 7/30/2010 Cancer Group Says State Failing To Combat Disease The American Cancer Society released a statement saying Tennessee is falling short on legislative efforts to fight the disease. Cancer patients in windpipe swap op Doctors have successfully transplanted windpipes into two cancer patients in an innovative procedure that uses stem cells to allow a donated trachea to regenerate tissue and create an organ biologically close to the original. Related Stories Two killed in Los Angeles explosion Billy the Kid pardon considered Chelsea Clinton set to tie the knot Everglades added to UN danger list Wilders denied ... Cancer survivors show how to LiveStrong Oklahoma cancer patients and survivors will pitch for a future free of cancer at the annual LiveStrong Night with the Oklahoma City RedHawks. Turner Mason Swink, an Oklahoma City eighth-grader first diagnosed with cancer when he was only a year old, and 8-year-old Caitlin Schemmel, a third-grader from Colbert diagnosed with leukemia in December, will throw out the first pitch at the event ... Male Breast Cancer In Family Leads To High Perception Of Risk, Low Likelihood Of Genetic Counseling People with a family history of male breast cancer perceive themselves to be at higher risk of developing the disease than do patients with a family history of female breast cancer; however those with male breast cancer in their families are less likely to know about or seek genetic testing than those with a family history of female breast cancer, according to a study led by researchers at the ... Showtime stays true to form with 'The Big C,' a cancer comedy - Dallas Morning News
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 2006 CancerAdvice.org