Introduction:

Located between the bowel and the bladder, the prostate gland is an essential part of a man's sexual organs, helping to create semen. It surrounds the first section of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. The treatment options for prostate cancer depend in part on whether the tumor has spread. For tumors that are still inside the prostate, radiation therapy (using x-rays that kill the cancer cells) and a surgery called radical prostatectomy is a common treatment options. In this approach, no treatment is given until the tumor gets bigger. Generally, tumors that have grown beyond the edge of the prostate can't be cured with either radiation or surgery. They can be treated with hormones that slow the cancer's growth.

Radiation treatment:

There are originally 2 types of radiation therapy. The first type is called external beam radiation therapy. Radiation is given from a machine like an x-ray machine. The second type is called as radioactive pellets (called "seeds") are injected into the prostate gland. This is sometimes called seed therapy or brachytherapy. Both types work about the same in curing prostate cancer. There are no surgical risks for men who have radiation therapy. There's no risk of bleeding. One does not have to stay in the hospital. One will also recover faster. Daily activities can usually go on during the treatment. Incontinence is extremely rare afterwards. However, surgery may give a better chance of cure over the long term.

Hormone therapy:

The purpose of hormone therapy is to lower the level of the male hormones, called androgens, which are produced mostly in the testicles. This is because androgens help the prostate tumor grow. Monthly shots can be given or the testicles can be surgically removed. Once the testosterone is out of ones body, the prostate cancer usually shrinks. Hormone treatments are most often used in patients with cancer that has already spread beyond the prostate gland. While prostate cancer usually responds to 1 or 2 years of hormone therapy, after some time most tumors start to grow again. Once this happens, the treatment goal is to control symptoms. No treatment can cure prostate cancer after hormone therapy stops helping.