16 Surprising Cancer Symptoms Everyone Should Know
New Prostate Cancer Treatments Offer Hope For Advanced Cases
Deciding how to diagnose and treat prostate cancer has long been the subject of controversy and uncertainty. A prime example involves prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, a blood test for a telltale protein that can reveal cancer even when the patient has no symptoms. After its introduction in the early 1990s, PSA testing was widely adopted—millions of tests are done in the U.S. Every year. In 2012, however, a government task force indicated that this test can lead to overtreatment of cancers that might have posed little danger to patients and so might have been best left alone.
While arguments for and against PSA testing continue to seesaw back and forth, the field has achieved a better grasp on what makes certain prostate cancers grow quickly, and those insights have paved the way for better patient prognoses at every stage of the disease, even for the most advanced cases. A prostate cancer specialist today has access to an enhanced tool set for treatment and can judge when measures can be safely deferred.
The importance of these advances cannot be overstated. Prostate cancer is still one of the most prevalent malignancies. Aside from some skin cancers, prostate cancers are the most common cancers among men in the U.S. Nearly 270,000 people in America will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and it is the fourth most common cancer worldwide. Fortunately, the vast majority of patients will live for years after being diagnosed and are more likely to die of causes unrelated to a prostate tumor.
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
At its most basic level, prostate cancer is a malignancy that occurs in the prostate gland, which produces fluid that mixes with sperm from the testicles to make semen. The prostate is located in front of the rectum, below the bladder and above the penis, and cancer in the gland has four major stages.
Early on, localized tumors show no evidence of extension beyond the prostate gland. A second, "regionally advanced" form of the disease remains close to the prostate. Then there are metastatic prostate cancers, which spread outside the gland to other parts of the body. Treatment of tumors in this category has benefited from improved diagnostic imaging tests. In fact, with these tests, cancer specialists have characterized the fourth category, oligometastatic prostate cancer, a disease stage on a continuum between localized prostate cancer and more broadly dispersed metastatic disease. Major discoveries in the past 10 years have transformed the way we approach each type of prostate cancer, and these advances are likely to continue for decades to come.
The first treatment steps for people with localized cancer involve risk stratification. Through this process, a physician gauges the likelihood of a cancer's being eliminated or cured by local treatment (usually surgery or radiation) and, if it does abate, of its returning. A physician determines the risk based on PSA results, physical examination of the prostate gland and inspection of cells from the biopsied tumor.
The right course of action for a patient with elevated PSA levels continues to undergo constant revision. Until five to seven years ago, a physician evaluated a person with high PSA by feeling their prostate gland for potentially cancerous abnormalities. Invariably, the next step would be a needle biopsy—an uncomfortable procedure in which the physician obtains snippets of prostate tissue through the rectum.
But we now have a way to biopsy through the perineum—the area between the back of the scrotum and the anal-rectal area. Thanks to technical improvements, it can be done in an outpatient setting without general anesthesia or sedation. The technique reduces the patient's risk of infection and need for antibiotics because it doesn't disrupt the bacterial flora in the rectum. In a recent study, researchers compared outcomes in patients who underwent a transrectal biopsy and received antibiotics with those for people who had a transperineal biopsy with minimal to no antibiotics. They found the two approaches comparable in terms of complications from infections.
Even more exciting is the prospect of eliminating biopsies altogether. When a patient has an abnormal PSA value but their rectal examination shows no obvious evidence of cancerous deposits, physicians can now use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at the prostate and surrounding tissue. MRI scans are best for identifying clinically significant cancers—those that, if left untreated or undiagnosed, could eventually spread. MRI can also uncover more extensive cancer spread or tumors in unusual locations such as the front of the prostate.
Another benefit of MRI procedures is that they identify fewer clinically insignificant cancers—those that are unlikely to cause problems and might best be left alone. In this case, failure to detect certain cancers is a good thing because it spares people unnecessary treatment. In some medical centers in the U.S. And many in Europe, a physician will perform a biopsy only if the MRI scan does reveal evidence of clinical significance. Studies that have compared the two diagnostic approaches—routine biopsy for all patients with elevated PSA levels versus biopsies based on abnormal MRI findings—found they are similarly effective at detecting clinically significant cancers.
Once a patient is diagnosed with prostate cancer, what happens next? For decades the debate over treatment has been just as contentious as the debate over diagnosis. Fortunately, new research from the U.K. Has provided some clarity. Investigators there studied several thousand people with elevated PSA levels whose prostate biopsies showed cancer. These patients were randomized to receive surgical removal of the cancerous gland, radiation treatments or no active treatment at all. At the end of 15 years of comprehensive follow-up, about 3 percent of patients in each group had died of prostate cancer, and nearly 20 percent in each group had died of unrelated causes.
Based on the results of this study and others, more people are now being offered "active surveillance" after a prostate cancer diagnosis, in which treatment is either delayed or avoided altogether. Careful monitoring of patients who have not undergone surgery or radiation is becoming more common; it is now being extended even to those with more worrisome tumors. The monitoring involves a range of measures: PSA testing every three to six months, physical examination of the prostate gland and assessment of the patient's urinary symptoms. Those tests are followed by repeat biopsies at increasing intervals, as long as there are no significant pathological changes.
If a cancer is identified as having either intermediate- or high-risk features, doctors need to track its progression, usually with bone scans using radiopharmaceuticals and with abdominal-pelvic computed tomography (CT) scans, which may show any spread in the areas to which prostate cancer most often metastasizes. Unfortunately, these techniques are not sensitive enough to reliably detect cancer in structures less than a centimeter in diameter, such as lymph nodes. Consequently, small areas of metastatic disease may go undetected. These cases are said to be "understaged."
Understaging can now be studied through more precise diagnostic testing. Typically patients whose disease is understaged are not treated until the cancer becomes detectable through symptoms such as urination problems or pain. The disease then may require intensive therapies, and there is less of a chance of long-term remission. One technology that can help address understaging is advanced scanning that combines radiodiagnostic positron-emission tomography (PET) with CT.
These scans can detect molecules commonly found in prostate cancer cells, such as prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). If PSMA is present outside the prostate gland, such as in pelvic lymph nodes, the affected areas can be identified, and a plan can be made for targeted radiation treatments or surgical removal.
Let's consider how PET-CT scanning can be used in clinical practice. One of my patients, a 68-year-old man, was diagnosed with prostate cancer that was localized but had high-risk features. The traditional diagnostic bone and CT scans did not show any evidence of cancer spread outside the prostate. A PET-CT scan for PSMA, however, did reveal the presence of several small deposits of cancer cells in well-defined areas of the pelvis, indicating the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes. This finding prompted treatment that included radiation therapy in the prostate gland and the cancerous lymph nodes, as well as androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), a treatment that reduces levels of testosterone, the hormone that enables prostate cancer to grow and progress.
The more precise identification of small tumor deposits in a limited number of pelvic lymph nodes—diagnosed as oligometastatic prostate cancer—enabled a new use for an old technology in oncology called metastasis-directed therapy (MDT), which targets cancer-containing lymph nodes or bony areas with radiation. At times, surgical removal of the abnormal lymph nodes may also be incorporated into MDT. Recently published studies on the use of MDT in conjunction with conventional treatments show, in some cases, long-term remission lasting through years of follow-up. Until recently, such a scenario was unthinkable for people whose prostate cancer had spread to their lymph nodes. My patient had the PSMA scan and MDT, as well as a relatively short course of ADT. He is cancer-free for now.
Precise identification of small metastatic deposits has other positive benefits. ADT has for decades been the mainstay for treating many forms of prostate cancer. Patients must continue the therapy for years, sometimes for the rest of their lives. Side effects of ADT are similar to those experienced during menopause. In fact, "andropause" is the term that captures the effects of ADT. Lower levels of testosterone are accompanied by a multitude of symptoms, including but not limited to loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, weight gain, hot flashes, bone loss, cognitive impairment, mood changes, diminished energy, and worsening of preexisting heart and vascular problems.
Studies of MDT for oligometastatic prostate cancer have raised the question of whether ADT could be delayed, administered for a shorter duration or even omitted in patients who otherwise would have required it. By strategically deploying traditional forms of localized treatment—usually surgery to remove the prostate gland or radiation—with added MDT for oligometastatic disease, doctors can significantly shorten the duration of ADT or potentially eliminate it. Such an approach would have been difficult to imagine five years ago. Longer-term follow-up studies will help scientists determine whether some people diagnosed in this fashion can go into an extended remission.
For advanced forms of prostate cancer that have spread to other parts of the body, ADT has been the main treatment. Physicians historically have generally recommended surgical removal of the testicles—the primary source of testosterone—or the administration of other hormones that block the production and action of testosterone. In the mid-1980s I was involved with research on drugs called luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone analogues that lowered testosterone by shutting off the signal in the brain that instructs the testicles to make testosterone. Today newer agents have been added that further lower and block testosterone's action.
The goal of prostate cancer treatment at later stages is to eliminate multiple sources of testosterone. As noted earlier, testosterone in the body comes predominantly from the testicles; the adrenal glands also produce a small amount. But prostate cancer cells can evolve to produce their own androgens. Testosterone and its active form, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), traverse the membranes of prostate cancer cells and interact with androgen receptors in the cytoplasm, a cell's liquid interior. The receptors then transport DHT to the nucleus, where it instructs the cancer cell to grow, replicate and spread.
Traditional ADT does little to affect either the production of testosterone by the adrenal glands or androgen-producing prostate cancer cells, and it doesn't block the activity of androgen receptors. But new approaches to ADT may address these shortcomings. Drug combinations that affect all these processes have substantially improved survival in people with metastatic prostate cancer—and, more important, patients are able to tolerate these more intensive treatment programs.
Instead of just one drug to decrease testosterone, new standards for treatment prescribe combinations of two or even three drugs. In addition to traditional ADT, there are medications such as docetaxel, a chemotherapy, and other new drugs that can block the production of testosterone by the adrenal glands or cancer cells or stop it by interfering with the activity of androgen receptors. All these drug combinations have resulted in meaningful improvements in survival.
Yet another therapy for advanced disease involves the identification of PSMA-expressing cancer cells that can be targeted with pharmaceuticals designed to deliver radioactive bombs. An injectable radiopharmaceutical can be delivered selectively to these cells, leaving healthy cells mostly unaffected. This therapy, lutetium-177-PSMA-617 (marketed as Pluvicto), has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of prostate cancer that has become resistant to other forms of ADT and chemotherapy. It is likely to become an important therapy for even earlier stages of prostate cancer.
Genetics and genomic testing of patients and cancers have also helped in the quest for improvement of symptoms and longer survival. Some genetic mutations that are known to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer have also been associated with a heightened risk of prostate cancer. Testing for such mutations is becoming much more common, and patients who have them can be treated with specific therapies that block their deleterious effects, leading to better outcomes.
An understanding of the type of mutation is also critical—for both patients and their family members. Germline mutations are inherited from a patient's biological parents by every cell in the body. These mutations can be passed along to the patient's children. A somatic mutation, in contrast, is not inherited but develops in the cancer itself. Targeted therapies designed specifically to correct the effects of either germline or somatic mutations have produced significant improvements in patient longevity. Some of the most commonly recognized cancer mutations—either somatic or germline—are those in BRCA genes, which have been associated with early-onset breast and ovarian cancer.
When researchers studied cancer in families with BRCA mutations, they uncovered many cases of prostate cancer. This finding led to the discovery that BRCA mutations appeared in both men and women in these families. The mutations change the way DNA is repaired, introducing defects that can result in cancer formation. Drugs have now been developed that treat cancers linked to the BRCA mutations. Several such drugs—those in a class called poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors—have recently received FDA approval for use as a treatment in people with these mutations. This research has led to more widespread genetic testing of patients with prostate cancer and, when germline mutations are found, family genetic counseling.
All these advances have occurred over the past decade—an incredibly short interval in the context of cancer oncology. Current options for early-stage prostate cancer enable physicians and patients to feel more at ease with conservative choices rather than immediate interventions with negative side effects. For patients whose cancers are advanced at initial diagnosis or progress and become metastatic, the treatment of oligometastases now often leads to long-term remission and requires fewer treatments with harmful systemic side effects. For those with more widespread metastatic disease, their cancer can now be managed with improved therapeutics based on a better understanding of disease biology. These new strategies have begun to transform this once rapidly fatal disease into a chronic condition that people can live with for years or even for their full life expectancy.
What Is The Prostate?
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located under the bladder and next to the rectum of people assigned male at birth (AMAB). It surrounds the urethra, a tube that transports urine from the bladder and through the penis. The prostate plays an important role in sexual reproduction. It helps make semen, the fluid that carries sperm out of the penis — via the urethra — when you ejaculate.
Talk with your doctor if you're peeing more than normal or if you're straining to go. Both could be symptoms of an enlarged prostate. (Photo Credit: The Image Bank RF/Getty Images)
The prostate is a small gland that is part of the male reproductive system. It's supposed to be about the shape and size of a walnut.
It rests below your bladder and in front of your rectum. It surrounds part of the urethra, the tube in your penis that carries pee from your bladder.
The prostate helps make some of the fluid in semen, which carries sperm from your testicles when you ejaculate.
If you have a prostate, it will almost certainly get larger as you age. It's not clear why it happens, but it may be linked to the decline in the male sex hormone testosterone as you get older. This enlargement is a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The key word is benign. BPH has nothing to do with cancer and doesn't increase your risk of cancer. But it can make it more difficult to pee and ejaculate. Why? As your prostate grows, it presses on your urethra. That interferes with the flow of urine and the release of ejaculate during orgasm.
Enlarged prostate and aging
Your prostate likely will begin to get larger around age 25. Symptoms usually don't begin before the age of 40. By the age of 60, you have a 50% chance of symptoms. That number climbs to 90% by the time you're over 80.
Is an enlarged prostate dangerous?
It can be. If your urethra becomes severely or completely blocked, you won't be able to pee at all. This can happen suddenly and is a medical emergency. Without prompt treatment, your kidneys may be damaged. Other serious complications of BPH include:
BPH is common and can't be prevented. Age and a family history of BPH are two things that increase your chances of getting BPH. A few stats on that:
If you have trouble peeing or have to go a lot, especially at night, these could indicate that you have an enlarged prostate. Other signs and symptoms include:
It's important to see your doctor if you have early symptoms of BPH. Although rare, it can lead to serious problems such as kidney or bladder damage.
BPH is different for each person. In fact, some people with very large prostates have few, if any, symptoms. But your doctor should be aware either way.
How your doctor handles your condition depends on the details of your case -- your age, how much trouble it's causing, and more. Treatments may include:
Watchful waiting. If you have an enlarged prostate but are not bothered by symptoms, you may be advised merely to get an annual checkup, which might include a variety of tests.
Lifestyle changes. This includes cutting back on how much you drink at night and before bedtime, especially drinks with alcohol or caffeine.
Medicine. Common treatments for BPH are alpha-blockers, which ease BPH symptoms, and what's called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, or 5-ARIs, which help shrink the prostate. Many people with an enlarged prostate take them together.
The FDA now requires labels on 5-ARIs to include a warning that they may be linked to an increased chance of a serious form of prostate cancer. These medications are dutasteride (Avodart) and finasteride (Propecia and Proscar). The combination pill Jalyn also contains dutasteride as one of its ingredients.
Surgery. If you have severe symptoms and other treatments haven't helped, you might have to turn to surgery. Talk to your doctor about possible risks and outcomes.
This is inflammation of the prostate, sometimes caused by an infection. Prostatitis does not make you more likely to develop prostate cancer. However, it can cause serious, even deadly complications, including:
There are four main types of prostatitis:
Acute bacterial prostatitis. This is caused by a bacterial infection that develops suddenly.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis. Also caused by a bacterial infection, it can be hard to treat and may last years.
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). It is the most common type of prostatitis. About 1 in 3 people AMAB will develop this at some point in their lives.
Nonbacterial prostatitis (asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis). While this condition causes inflammation, it does not have symptoms or require treatment.
Prostatitis symptoms
What your symptoms are depends on the type of prostatitis you have.
Acute bacterial prostatitis typically causes:
Symptoms of chronic bacterial prostatitis are similar to those of acute bacterial prostatitis; however, they are usually less severe and you won't develop a fever. They include:
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) causes pain or discomfort that lasts 3 or more months. It can occur in the following parts of your body:
Other symptoms include:
Prostatitis risk factors
You are more likely to get prostatitis if you:
Prostatitis treatment
Your treatment will depend on the type of prostatitis that you have.
Acute bacterial prostatitis. This is treated with antibiotics for 2-4 weeks. You may require IV antibiotics. In rare cases, your doctor may need to drain an abscess in your prostate.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis. Treatment for this type takes longer and is more complicated. You may need to take antibiotics for up to 12 weeks. To prevent the return of infections, your doctor may prescribe ongoing treatment with low-dose antibiotics.
Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). This requires a variety of treatments to address your pain and urinary difficulties as well as the anxiety this condition can cause. Physical therapy also may be part of your treatment plan.
Your doctor can use a variety of tests to check on the condition of your prostate. A few of them include:
Digital rectal exam. Your doctor puts on a glove and gently inserts one finger into your rectum to check the size, shape, and firmness of your prostate, as well as for any lumps.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This blood test checks the amount of a protein called PSA, which is produced by prostate cells. Higher levels may be a sign of cancer. By themselves, they are not proof you have prostate cancer.
Higher levels could also point to an enlarged prostate or prostatitis. But you may have low PSA levels despite having prostate cancer. If you opt to take this test, your doctor will discuss what your results mean.
Prostate biopsy. If you have high PSA levels or other reasons to suspect prostate cancer, your doctor may suggest a biopsy. It involves taking tissue samples from your prostate, which are analyzed to find out whether you have cancer.
Screening for prostate cancer is controversial. You may read different kinds of advice and guidance from various sources. Talk to your doctor about what is best for you. Different health organizations make different recommendations regarding screening.
American Cancer Society
It recommends that you talk to your doctor about the benefits, risks, and limits of prostate cancer screening before deciding whether to be tested. This discussion should take place:
American Urological Association
It recommends that men aged 55-69 who are considering screening should talk with their doctor about the risks and benefits of testing and make the decision based on their personal situation and needs.
The group doesn't suggest screening for:
For those men who have decided on screening after talking with their doctor, a routine interval of 2 years or more may be preferred over yearly tests.
Compared with annual screening, it is expected that 2-year intervals give you most of the benefits and reduce false positive results.
Routine PSA screening is not recommended for those AMAB older than 70 or for anyone who is expected to live only 10-15 more years.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
It recommends that men aged 55-69 should talk with their doctor about the risks and benefits of screening before making a decision, which should be based on their personal situation and needs.
Routine PSA screening is not recommended if you're older than 70.
If you have a prostate, expect that it will grow larger starting around age 25, a common condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. This may cause symptoms that you should discuss with your doctor. Treatment can help. Keep in mind that having BPH doesn't mean you have prostate cancer or a higher risk of prostate cancer. The two are not related. Prostatitis is a separate condition that affects your prostate and causes unpleasant symptoms. Treatment can cure it.
Can you get an erection without a prostate?
Often, the answer is yes. If you had your prostate removed as part of prostate cancer treatment, your ability to have an erection could return within a month of surgery. However, the time could stretch to a year or longer. Also, if you had trouble getting an erection before your prostate was removed, you'll still have it after surgery. If you can't get an erection on your own, talk to your doctor about your options, such as medications, penile implants, and pumps.
Can an enlarged prostate be cured?
No. This is a chronic condition that often gets worse over time. However, medications and procedures can ease your symptoms, stop the growth of your prostate, and even shrink it.
How can you massage the prostate?
You can do this by inserting a finger into your anus until it reaches your prostate. Gently press and massage your prostate. It has no medical benefit. However, it can be sexually stimulating, either by yourself or with a partner. Just use lots of lubricant to avoid injury.
How can you avoid prostate cancer?
Unfortunately, nothing can guarantee protection against prostate cancer. However, the American Cancer Society recommends maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting processed meat, red meat, sugary drinks, and highly processed foods. Also, consider limiting calcium, both in supplement form and in your diet. Several studies have linked high dairy and calcium intake to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
What Are The Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer?
Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer lifeLive your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletterOJ Simpson's family announced on Thursday 11 April that he had died at 76-years-old amid a battle with prostate cancer.
Simpson died on Wednesday surrounded by his children and grandchildren. "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," his family wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
In May 2023 Simpson shared in a social media post that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and that he had been using medical marijuana to help with his symptoms.
"I had to do the whole chemo thing … I started smoking a couple of puffs a day, and I only had nausea twice. I'm over the chemo," Simpson said. "I only got nauseous on two occasions. … The pot really helped me with the unfortunate side of catching cancer."
In Simpson's final video, he insisted that his health was alright, despite some complications. That video was posted to X on 11 February, two months before he died.
"My health is good. I mean, obviously, I'm dealing with some issues but I think I'm just about over it," Simpson said in the video.
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men in the UK, affecting approximately one in eight men during their lifetime.
While the condition is more likely to affect men over the age of 50, it can be diagnosed at a younger age.
From symptoms to treatment, here's everything you need to know about the condition.
What is prostate cancer?As the name suggests, prostate cancer occurs in the prostate gland, which is located at the base of the bladder.
The main function of the prostate gland, a male reproductive organ, is to secrete prostate fluid, which mixes with sperm to create semen.
The prostate gland is about the size of a walnut but enlarges as men age. It surrounds the first part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen.
When prostate cancer develops in the prostate gland, this usually occurs in the outer gland cells of the prostate, Cancer Research UK states. These cells are called acinar adenocarcinomas.
Cancer occurs when abnormal cells begin to divide and grow uncontrollably.
According to the charity, the majority of cases of prostate cancer grow slowly and do not usually spread to other parts of the body.
When prostate cancer has spread to another part of the body, it becomes known as advanced prostate cancer.
Symptoms of Prostate CancerDr Jiri Kubes, radiation oncologist and medical director of the Proton Therapy Centre in Prague, Czech Republic, told The Independent that it is possible to have no symptoms at all, which makes getting a diagnosis so difficult.
"However, men should keep a close eye on any changes in urinary habits including needing to go to the toilet more often and difficulty emptying their bladder," Kubes said.
"These changes don't necessarily mean someone has prostate cancer, but there are checks that can be carried out to rule out such a diagnosis."
Other symptoms include difficulty in starting to urinate or a weak flow, as well as blood or semen in the urine.
Older men may experience similar symptoms due to prostate enlargement, which is a non-cancerous condition.
What are the causes?While it is not known what causes prostate cancer, several factors may increase one's risk of developing the condition.
These include being over the age of 50; whether one has a brother or father who developed prostate cancer before turning 60; being overweight; and following an unhealthy diet, the NHS states.
Kubes confirmed this, saying, "We don't know the causes of prostate cancer but we do know some men are more at risk than others. They include men over the age of 50, members of the Black community and anyone with a family history of the disease."
Those of African or African-Caribbean descent may also be at greater risk of being diagnosed with the condition.
TreatmentTreatment plans will vary based on whether their prostate cancer is localised in the prostate gland or has spread to other parts of the body.
Treatment for prostate cancer is undertaken to either cure the disease, or control symptoms so that they do not shorten a patient's life expectancy, according to NHS.
Some older men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer may be advised to carry out "watchful waiting", which is when they keep a close eye to see whether or not they develop any progressive cancer symptoms.
They may also be told to do "active surveillance", which involves undergoing tests such as MRI scans and biopsies while avoiding other treatments deemed "unnecessary".
Other treatments that patients diagnosed with prostate cancer may undergo include radical prostatectomy, which is the surgical removal of the prostate gland; radiotherapy; hormone therapy; and chemotherapy.
If a person's prostate cancer has become too advanced, then it may not be able to be cured.
However, treatments such as radiotherapy, hormone treatment and chemotherapy may slow down its progression.
Comments
Post a Comment