What Are the Treatments of Prostate Cancer?

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

Testosterone and Prostate Cancer

Everyone should know that when testosterone is metabolized, it produces DHT as one of the by-products, which is what allows your muscles and erections to grow. That is a good thing! However, DHT that doesn't get burned up during sex or working out is also what is at the root of your prostate problems to begin with.

The fact of the matter is that DHT is always being produced, and a lot of us simply cannot burn it off fast enough--no matter how much we work out in the gym or how much sex we have.

In the case of prostate problems, one camp blames a lack of testosterone while the other camp blames too much of it. I have even heard of a doctor suggesting castration as a means of preventing the spread of prostate cancer because he believed it was the only way to prevent testosterone from acting as fuel for the cancer.

Talk about a case of throwing away both the baby and the bathwater!

I'm sure that we've all heard at some point or another the notion that more sex is the solution to prostate problems, citing as evidence the high incidence of prostate cancer in celibate priests. Let's think about this for a moment: If more sex was really the solution, how come a certain rock-star died from prostate cancer? Also, if prostate cancer is the number one cancer killer of males, were all these murdered males celibate? Not likely...

While plain common sense would indicate that utter sexual abstinence may be harmful over the course of a lifetime, prostate cancer remains the number one cancer-killer of males DESPITE the fact that very few males are either rock stars or priests!

So, prostate cancer has little to do with sexual activity or the testosterone that fuels it. Rather, it is an issue of how we handle the excessive DHT in our bodies. With today's meat and hormone-filled diets it should be no wonder that our current report card is so poor.

This is why pro-hormone supplementation is replete with warnings that people with prostate problems should not be taking their products. (Bodybuilders love excess DHT which they can direct into their muscle tissue.)

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, often referred to as simply BPH, is an enlargement of the prostate gland that usually occurs in men who are over the age of 50. This enlargement in the prostate gland can cause a gradual squeezing of the urethra, which makes urinating difficult and painful. Many men who experience this prostate problem do not have any symptoms at all and it may not be detected until an annual rectal exam. Men with this prostate problem who do experience symptoms are likely to notice difficulty in starting urination, frequent urination as well as an increased frequency in awakening at night to urinate.

Prostate cancer, another prostate problem, is perhaps the most severe and is one of the leading types of cancers diagnosed in American men. Each year almost a quarter of a million new cases are diagnosed. It is estimated that prostate cancer will affect one out of every ten men. Each year more than 30,000 men die from prostate cancer. Because of the seriousness of this prostate problem, prostate cancer is perhaps the most serious of all the different types of prostate disease. Prostate cancer generally occurs in men who are over the age of 65, although cases in younger men have been reported. There is a high incidence of prostate cancer occurring in men who are shown to have a family history of this type of prostate disease. African-American men are considered to be particularly at risk for prostate cancer and suffer from the highest death rates related to this disease.

Plato Rosinke is a practicing Taoist herbalist since 1991 who specializes in the male reproductive system. If you've got prostate problems, then we've got solutions that work. Even if you're wearing a catheter that thing will be out in no time flat. Cutting-edge Chinese herbal formulation available at:

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What Is Prostate Cancer - Understanding It From All Aspects

What is prostate cancer? This is a question many people have asked themselves after they, like millions of others, have been diagnosed by their doctors with the problem. An answer to the question of "What is prostate cancer" isn't an easy one either.

Defining the Disease

The first step to finding the answer to this fairly common question is to understand the basic nature of the disease. Prostate cancer is a growth of abnormal cells in the prostate gland. It can be caused by a number of factors, and if it is treated immediately, it is unlikely to be fatal.

Who Gets Prostate Cancer?

This question is a bit tougher to answer than "What is prostate cancer." Scientists are desperately trying to find a connection among victims of this horrible form of cancer so as to better understand the course of the disease itself. In general, prostate cancer victims are thirty percent of all male cancer cases in the United States. Black men tend to suffer from the problem more than white men, and the older you get, the higher your risk factors are for prostate cancer. The country at highest risk for prostate cancer is Scandinavia, and men in China are at the lowest risk in the world for developing the disease.

When Should I Start Checking?

Doctors suggest that only nine percent of men in their twenties develop prostate cancer, but, interestingly enough, many men who die of other, varied causes, show signs of prostate cancer in a posthumous examination environment. Because it can be so hard to spot, most doctors recommend that men start checking for this deadly killer by the time they reach age forty. Many suggest a prostate exam is necessary on a yearly basis.

Understanding the answer to the question "What is prostate cancer," is truly necessary for the complete eradication of this horrible condition.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of www.prostatehealthadvice.com which provides the causes of prostate cancer and treatments of everything from an enlarged prostate to prostate cancer

A Brief Overview Of Prostate Prevention

Twenty years ago, a prostate problem usually led to cancer, and ultimately, death. Medical advances and further understanding of the human body has led to an increased awareness of how the prostate becomes damaged and more importantly, new ways of prostate prevention.

Prostate prevention is such a major topic because over half the men in the United States will develop some form of prostate difficulty past the age of 50. However, prostate cancer grows extremely slowly and if proper prostate prevention is employed, can be treated and avoided before any serious physical harm is caused.

One of the major breakthroughs in prostate prevention has been the development of the Prostatic Specific Antigen (PSA) ? a blood test that detects possible prostate cancer before it has a chance to grow. Combine the PSA test with a digital rectal exam and the chances are nearly 100 percent that all prostate cancer can be detected in time for treatment and a cure.

As long as the cancer has not spread outside the prostate gland a cure can be found. Once the cancer migrates outside the prostate it is incurable so it is especially important for men over 50 to get routine screenings. Patient education and raising awareness of how preventable prostate disease is can help virtually wipe-out the condition.

Targeted radiation and surgery, as long as the cancer is found early, can be up to 95 percent effective in curing the disease. This is an astounding rate of success ? one of the highest for any disease.

In addition to age, there are other factors to consider for prostate prevention. Studies have proven that African-American men develop the disease more than other groups. Genetics has also been proven to play a part in developing prostate problems. If there is a history of prostate cancer in your family the chances of developing the disease increases.

Studies have indicated that diets high in fat can spur prostate problems. Other research that focused on men who eat high quantities of vegetables verses men that don?t have led researchers to believe that a high-vegetable diet is essential to prostate prevention. While the research is not concrete, it is reasonably safe to assume that maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, limiting junk food, alcohol and the consumption of red meat can help prostate prevention.

Read more about Prostate Prevention and other related Prostate News by visiting Mary's site at: http://www.prostatehealthnews.com

Lycopene Effective with Prostate Cancer Treatment

Men with prostate cancer who take supplemental lycopene in addition to surgical removal of the testicles may experience less active disease, less bone pain, and live longer than those who only have surgical removal of the testicles, according to a new study in British Journal of Urology International (2003;92:375–8). This is exciting news for millions of men who have to undergo aggressive treatment for advanced prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men over the age of 50 years, with more than 200,000 new cases each year in the United States. The cause of prostate cancer, like many other cancers, is unknown; however, some studies suggest alterations in testosterone metabolism may play a role in its development. Prostate cancer is generally slow growing and may not cause any symptoms until late in the disease. Symptoms may include frequent or painful urination, dribbling after urination, sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder, or blood in the urine. The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to those of a non-cancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), so men experiencing these symptoms should consult their physician for an accurate diagnosis.

In the new study, 54 men with advanced prostate cancer were randomly assigned to have surgical removal of the testicles (orchidectomy) alone or orchidectomy plus oral supplementation with 4 mg of lycopene a day. Measurements of PSA (a blood marker of prostate cancer activity), bone scans, and urinary flow were taken initially and every three months for two years. Men receiving lycopene started on the day of their surgery.

After six months, PSA had significantly decreased in both groups, indicating a reduction in prostate cancer activity. However, PSA levels in those receiving lycopene were more than 65% lower than in those who did not receive lycopene. After two years, PSA levels in the lycopene treatment group had fallen into the normal range, while those who only underwent surgery still had PSA levels more than twice the upper limit of normal. Urinary symptoms significantly improved in both groups, but better improvement was again observed in the lycopene group. The lycopene group also experienced less bone pain.

The survival rates after two years in the lycopene-plus-surgery group and surgery-only groups were 87% and 78%, respectively, a statistically significant difference. No adverse side effects were observed in men taking lycopene.LycopeneLycopene is one of a group of compounds called carotenoids. It is found in high amounts in tomatoes.

The findings of this study corroborate the findings of other similar studies examining the effectiveness of lycopene in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, the amount used in the current study (4 mg per day) was substantially less than the amounts used in other studies (30 mg per day). It may also help stimulate the immune system and has been shown to cause cancer cells to die on their own. Although more research is needed to clarify what amount of lycopene is most effective, men with prostate cancer may benefit from taking daily lycopene supplements. Eating one moderately sized tomato a day also provides approximately 4 mg of lycopene. Other tomato products, such as an 8-ounce portion of tomato juice or tomato paste may provide up to 25 mg of lycopene.

Darin Ingels, ND, MT (ASCP), received his bachelor's degree from Purdue University and his Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA. Dr. Ingels is the author of The Natural Pharmacist: Lowering Cholesterol (Prima, 1999) and Natural Treatments for High Cholesterol (Prima, 2000). He currently is in private practice at New England Family Health Associates located in Southport, CT, where he specializes in environmental medicine and allergies. Dr. Ingels is a regular contributor to Vitamin Herb University.marketing@webadvantage.net