Possibilities of treating prostate cancer

In order to prevent prostate cancer scientists are trying to find abnormal genes that are related to this disease and so identify those who are at risk of developing prostate cancer.
For these people special treatment will be instituted earlier in order to stop the disease from occurring.

Nowadays the scientists use the DNA micro-array technology for studying many genes at the same time and discover those that are related to prostate cancer. This screening could save a lot of time and could replace the currently used PSA blood test.

DNA micro-array identified a product of one gene (named EZH2) that seems to appear more frequently in advanced prostate cancers than in early staged cancers. Scientists want to find out if this gene product signalizes that the cancer is more aggressive or not. This could help doctors decide whether that form of cancer needs treatment or must only be supervised carefully.

Researchers have discovered that tomato and soybeans contain some substances that are useful in preventing prostate cancer (lycopenes and isoflavones). Vitamins are also useful: vitamin D, E and selenium decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

A new clinical trial has been developed in order to see if patients with prostate cancer respond to medication that decreases the level of the androgen hormone called DHT. These drugs (Finasteride and dutasteride) have been used until now only for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Staging prostate cancer is very important for doctors because it helps them institute the most proper treatment. CT and MRI are not so efficient in this case. Instead, enhanced MRI is quite helpful because it detects the possible cancer cells in the lymph nodes.

As a possibility of treatment is surgery. The radical prostatectomy could have some risks. If the nerves that control erection have to be removed the man will end up being impotent. Doctors are testing a replacement of those nerves with the Sural nerve but they are not positive about the usefulness of this technique.

Radiation therapy is also possible. If using conformal radiation therapy (CRT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) the radiation will be directed straight to the prostate gland and affect less other normal tissues.

Chemotherapy seems to be effective in prostate cancer too. Chemotherapy drugs can be successfully used in combination with other drugs like: Taxotere associated with Calcitriol, a form of vitamin D.

A vaccine has also been tested with amazing results on prostate cancer patients. This vaccine is not like the others that are designed to prevent a disease. This is made to treat advanced prostate cancer by increasing the immune system’s response to cancer cells. The vaccine has been made out of a genetically engineered protein and a dendritic cell provided from the patient’s bloodstream. Three shots of the vaccine (Provenge) were made over the course of a month. The immune system will react and will activate immune T-cells to find and destroy the cancer cells.

Monoclonal antibody treatment can also be applied in this case. They stimulate the body’s natural cell-killing mechanism or they carry a radioactive molecule that will destroy the cancerous cell.

Another treatment is using angiogenesis inhibitors. These drugs prevent the growth of blood vessels and so, the tumor cells will not be nourished any more.

Sometimes the prostate cancer spreads in the body and affects the bones. For stopping the bone pain doctors use radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and CT. with this technique they will destroy the tumor by heating it.

For recovering patients are advised to adopt a certain lifestyle. They must not eat meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products, keep an active lifestyle and even perform yoga.

About Author: For more information about prostate cancer prevention and about early symptoms prostate cancer please review this web site http://www.prostate-cancer-center.com

Article Source: ArticlesAlley.com

Vaccine proves to be efficient in treating prostate cancer

Since in US, more than 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer are discovered every year a more effective treatment was desperately needed.

At the prostate cancer symposium in Orlando, co-sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Eric J. Small, MD, UCSF professor of medicine and urology presented the findings of the study he led helped by other 19 US institutions, regarding an effective treatment for prostate cancer.

Scientists said that the rate of survival increased by four and a half months in those who were administered the cancer vaccine compared with those who got the placebo.

For the patients this is great news because it gives them hope that an even better vaccine could be discovered. This vaccine is not like the others that are designed to prevent a disease. This is made to treat advanced prostate cancer by increasing the immune system’s response to cancer cells.

The vaccine was well tolerated by patients and the side effects were mild: fever and chills. This is good news because chemotherapy and radiation gives a lot of unbearable side effects.

Small included in the study 127 patients suffering of asymptomatic metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). 82 of them received the vaccine and 45 got placebo. They were administered three shots over six weeks. The treatment continued three years.

For those treated with the vaccine, the median rate of survival was 25.9 months. For those who got a placebo treatment, the overall of survival was 21.4 months.
The conclusions were that 115 patients of this group had progressive disease at the time of data analysis and all patients were followed for survival for 3 years.

Scientists do not know if the vaccine will work on patients suffering of early-stage prostate cancer and of explosive terminal cancer. The vaccine, called Provenge, does not cure cancer but at least it slows it down.

Other cancer vaccines are being developed for treating: leukemia, breast cancer, colon cancer, and kidney and pancreas cancer as well.

The human body is not able to recognize the cancer cells and that is why it can not fight them without help. The vaccine is designed to alert the body is cancerous cells are present. Provenge has been made out of a genetically engineered protein and a dendritic cell provided from the patient’s bloodstream. After getting the vaccine shots, the immune system will react and will activate immune T-cells to find and destroy the cancer cells.

This discovery is important not only for those who suffer of the disease but also for the field. This vaccine confirms what everybody denied, that vaccines can really work.

About Author: For more information about prostate cancer and about prostate cancer treatment please review this web site http://www.prostate-cancer-center.com

Article Source: ArticlesAlley.com

Prostate Cancer Information for Knowing in Detail About This Cancer

Prostate Cancer Information

Prostate cancer is a disease that develops over many years in the prostate gland of men. Over time, prostate cancer information has shown that the cancer will spread from the prostate to other tissues including lymph nodes, bones, the liver, and the lungs. The first symptoms of this cancer are generally pain upon urination, difficulty urinating, and erectile dysfunction.

Prostate cancer responds well to many forms of traditional cancer treatments including surgery and radiation. Because its develops so slowly, early stages are generally monitored rather than treated. Additional treatments such as cryosurgery, hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy are also available. These alternative treatments are usually reserved for late stage of this cancer rather than instituted as an initial treatment.

Early of this cancer generally has no noticeable symptoms. However, some patients experience frequent urination both during the day and at night, difficulty in starting urination or maintaining a steady stream, or blood in the urine. It is estimated that only one third of cancer sufferers will experience any symptoms during the early stages.

According to available prostate cancer information, risk factors include age, familial history, and obesity. this cancer is not diagnosed in patients younger than 45, with the average age of diagnosis being 70 years of age. It is currently believed that heredity is the strongest known risk factor for the development of cancer. Scientists have shown that men with a father or brother (first-degree relative )who has been diagnosed with cancer have two times the risk of developing the disease and those that have two or more first-degree relatives with the disease have a five times greater risk.

The most important part of a prostate cancer diagnosis is a classification or stage of the disease. There are four stages currently recognized. These include:

• Stage I: The cancer cells are only found in the prostate. The tumor cannot be detected through digital rectal examination and would not be seen on any imaging diagnostic test.

• Stage II: The cancer cells are only found in the prostate. The tumor has begun to grow in size. It may or may not be detected through digital rectal examination however; it may show on an image during diagnostic testing.

• Stage III: The cancer cells have begun to invade surrounding tissues. In this stage the seminal vesicles may show signs of cancer cell invasion; however the pelvic lymph nodes are clear. The tumor can now be detected through digital rectal examination.

• Stage IV: The cancer cells have metastasized to other tissues including the lymph nodes, the lungs, the liver, and bones.

Prostate cancer screening is an essential part of managing prostate cancer. The earlier the cancer is detected; the sooner treatment and management plan can be instituted. Starting at age 50, man with a familial history should discuss cancer screening with their doctors. Currently, the only fully conformational test is a biopsy. However, other screening methods include digital rectal examination, prostate imaging, and testing for tumor markers.

The Prostate Cancer Research Institute is a charitable institution that is intended to improve the quality of men's lives by supporting the research and disseminating information prostate cancer advocacy. It also helps to create awareness and empowers patients, families and the medical community.

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