| Prostate exams are a simple and | | | | Brachytherapy is another form of |
| straightforward procedure and can be | | | | radiation therapy, albeit one that |
| conducted in a doctors office without | | | | involves actually inserting objects into |
| any need for medical equipment or urine | | | | the body. Radioactive pellets or seeds |
| or blood testing. Since every year an | | | | are injected into the prostate, and the |
| average of two hundred fifty thousand | | | | radiation that they emit kills the |
| men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, | | | | cancer-infected cells. After a period of |
| it is very important that all men | | | | time, the radioactivity of these seeds |
| receive regular prostate exams. The | | | | fades, and the leftover pellets are |
| necessity of receiving prostate exams | | | | completely harmless. |
| also increases as one ages. | | | | Another prostate cancer treatment is |
| This first form of prostate cancer | | | | called hormone therapy, and involves |
| treatment is called Active Surveillance. | | | | restricting the amount of testosterone |
| It is the medical term for watching a | | | | that the body produces or that is |
| patients cancer, but not taking action | | | | directed to help the prostate gland |
| until the condition worsens or expands. | | | | grow. The most extreme version of this |
| Active Surveillance is used when a | | | | procedure is called orchiectomy, and |
| patient may not be able to undergo | | | | involves actually removing the |
| treatment because of complications from | | | | testicles. Since they produce |
| other conditions, or is otherwise unable | | | | ninety-percent of the bodys |
| to receive cancer treatment. | | | | testosterone, this method is very |
| The most direct route form of prostate | | | | effective, but considering that the |
| cancer treatment is to remove the entire | | | | testicles must be removed, most men opt |
| prostate, a procedure known as a | | | | for another procedure. There are also |
| prostatectomy. An incision is made | | | | drugs that halt production of |
| behind the pubic bone and a portion of | | | | testosterone derivatives, but these are |
| the prostate or the entire gland itself | | | | not as effective as an orchiectomy, and |
| is removed. The urethra is then | | | | some may have to be administered in |
| connected directly to the bladder, but a | | | | frequent injections. |
| catheter is often necessary in order to | | | | As with other forms of cancer, |
| allow the patients body time to adapt to | | | | chemotherapy is also an option. However, |
| the new setup of its urinary system. | | | | up until fairly recently, chemotherapy |
| Another form of prostate cancer | | | | was considered only as an option for men |
| treatment is radiation therapy, which | | | | who have stopped responding to other |
| can treat prostate cancer from the | | | | prostate cancer treatments. New studies |
| outside. An MRI or CAT scan is used to | | | | are being conducted using chemotherapy |
| plot the exact location of the tumor or | | | | drugs. These drugs have been approved |
| affected cells, and intense bursts of | | | | by the Food and Drug Administration. |
| x-rays are used to destroy these cells. | | | | This new form of chemotherapy is used |
| Intensity modulated radiation therapy, | | | | specifically to fight prostate cancer. |
| or IMRT, is a form of radiation that can | | | | Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is |
| be used to full effect on the majority | | | | by no means a small matter, but with |
| of the cancer cells, but can be toned | | | | modern prostate cancer treatments, there |
| back to lessen the danger to cells in | | | | are many different options, and ones |
| proximity to the bladder or rectum. | | | | chances for survival are extremely high. |