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

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Da Vinci Prostatectomy - The State-of-the-Art Surgical Option

The prostate gland is part of the reproductive system of males which produces a fluid which is a component of semen. About the same size as a walnut, it is located below the bladder and above the rectum, surrounding the urethra (which is the tube which empties the bladder's urine). Cancer of the prostate occurs when malignant cells grow in the prostate tissues. Apart from cancer of the skin, prostrate cancer is the most frequent malignancy found in men, with over two hundred thousand new cases in the year 2007. Except for lung cancer, prostate cancer causes more deaths than any other form of cancer. On the other hand, autopsies show that many men have prostate cancer without it becoming a major health issue: one man in six will have a positive diagnosis at some point in life; however only one man in thirty-four will die of the disease. Almost two million men in the U.S. have survived cancer of the prostate. There are various prostate cancer treatments options open which depend upon the patient's health and age, his Gleason score, and at what stage the cancer is diagnosed. Early detection implies a greater chance of survival. Each patient must discuss his options with his physician for his particular case.

Radical prostatectomy involves removing the prostate gland together with some of its surrounding tissue. There are potential side effects - inability to have erections and incontinence - which can be obviated by detecting the cancer early and using techniques such as the Illinois Da Vinci surgical robot which spare nerves. Using these procedures most radical prostatectomy patients regain their erectile function and urinary continence after a period of post-surgical recovery. Options for radical prostatectomy include open surgery (the traditional method), laparoscopic surgery, and robotic-assisted surgery.

In the traditional open surgical procedure the surgeon makes an eight or ten inch incision to reach the prostate. This technique often causes a considerable loss of blood and a long and uncomfortable recovery period. The conventional laparoscopy technique uses a special surgical camera together with surgical instruments which make a number of small incisions to reach and remove the prostate. Conventional laparoscopy has been almost entirely superseded by Da Vinci prostatectomy, which is a robot-assisted laparoscopy. This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure which tends to minimize unwanted side effects. This procedure requires a very small incision which causes less pain, less anesthesia, less risk of infection, less time in the hospital, faster recovery, and a quicker return to normal life activities in most cases. During the operation a team of surgeons are always at the controls directing the Da Vinci's robotic camera (which the shows the surgeons on a large screen exactly what is happening inside the patient in three-dimensions), and also its two robotic arms which are operated by the surgeon's hand movements.

So when you are considering your options in prostate cancer treatments [http://www.riversidehealthcare.org/services/cancer-institute/robotic-cancer-surgery.html], you should consider first the Illinois Da Vinci surgical robot. State of the art computer robotics makes Da Vinci prostatectomy [http://www.riversidehealthcare.org/services/cancer-institute/robotic-cancer-surgery.html] the statistically best all around option in most cases.

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Life After Prostate Cancer - The Benefits Of Nerve Sparing Prostatectomy

When facing the diagnosis of prostate cancer, for most patients, the overwhelming focus is on eradicating the disease. However once the cancer has been successfully treated, the side-effects of treatment can have a major impact on quality of life.

I have seen many patients following a prostatectomy who are very distressed by their inability to resume normal sexual intercourse. Yet frequently, at the time of diagnosis, these patients did not view impotence as a major concern when they made their choice of treatment.

It would seem that we need to do more to understand patients and their preferences when they are choosing treatment for prostate cancer and offer them a wider range of options to meet their needs.

Radical prostatectomy, which involves the complete removal of the prostate, is the treatment of choice for 30-50% per cent of patients with organ confined prostate cancer. Its appeal lies in the degree of certainty it offers in terms of removing the disease in one strike.

A traditional radical prostatectomy is undertaken using wide margins around the prostate, damaging the nerves which control the blood supply to the penis. This has been understood to be the safest way of eradicating cancer but causes impotency.

Specialised urological surgeons have been carrying out nerve-sparing prostatectomies for over 10 years. The task of safely removing all cancer cells without harming the hair-thin adjacent nerves demands a very high level of technical skill.

It is hard to measure outcomes in a very precise way - several different assessments of sexual function are used and the outcome for each patient will depend on a range of factors, not all related to the surgery itself.

Not surprisingly then, the reported outcomes from treatments vary widely. For example, following bracytherapy, rates of impotency are reported at between 14 and 61 per cent. Some of the widest variations occur in rates reported following prostatectomy. Impotency is reported in 26 to 100 per cent of patients and intact function from 9 to 86 per cent.

This makes it all the more important for each hospital unit to carefully measure and audit its own results.

Improvements in the techniques of specialist surgeons who undertake a large number of prostatectomies mean we are getting closer to obtaining the perfect result for patients - cure, continence and potency.

Although there are other factors which play their part in the recovery of erections (neurogenic, vascular and psychosexual), the results show patients do have better results following nerve-sparing surgery compared with non nerve-sparing.

The nerve-sparing techniques I have developed during the past 6 years, undertaking over 700 procedures, mean that 73 per cent of my patients who have had 'high quality' nerve-sparing prostatectomy's have "good" erectile recovery (defined as being able to have an erection sufficiently rigid for vaginal penetration).

Achieving this is dependent upon extremely good technique throughout the whole procedure. Key elements include control of the dorsal vein complex after apical dissection of the prostate, accurate dissection of Denonvillier's fascia, a three stage dissection of the neurovascular bundle (NVB), avoidance of energy, avoidance of traction and careful placement of anastomotic sutures.

However, despite the progress which has been made in recent years in nerve-sparing surgery, studies suggest that up to 73 per cent did not continue their treatment.

In many cases, the effectiveness of the treatment was below the expectations of the patients. This was cited as one of the main reasons for giving up on the treatment along with loss of interest in sex.

The Birmingham Prostate Clinic have established a dedicated Erection Clinic to recognise the needs of these patients and address some of the problems which have been identified. By combining established erectile dysfunction treatments with the right specialist support, we see patients return to more effective erectile function over time as they recover from surgery.

Medication alone is not sufficient to overcome all potential problems. Men need to have individually-tailored care and support to ensure they keep up with their treatment and effectively address the psycho-sexual factors which they face as they recover from surgery and return to normal life.

Alan Doherty is a Consultant Urologist and Medical Director of The Birmingham Prostate Clinic. A centre of excellence for Prostate Cancer Treatment and Nerve Sparing Prostatectomy

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Radical Prostatectomy - A Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the life-threatening diseases affecting the lives of men all over the world more especially in industrialized countries nowadays. This is because obesity is one of the major causes of prostate cancer and it's prevalent among industrialized countries. However, this is not limited to men in these countries because the causes are not limited to the diet only but also to the genetic factor of the person. We may however wonder why it affects men only and it affects men who are in their 40's to 60's.

Prostate cancer is caused by the growth of a prostate lump in the prostate gland which is a gland found only among men. Such lump is created by the uncontrolled growth of the cells in the same glance and it develops when there is rapid transformation of bad testosterone. Some lumps are non-cancerous but unfortunately some are cancerous is why a serious treatment of prostate cancer is needed. The treatments of this disease depend on the stages of cancer. Before coming up with the right treatment of prostate cancer, several tests have to be undertaken and proper documentation has to be made. However, almost all treatments are costly and it is painful but true to say that the rate of survival depends on the socioeconomic status of the person.

Radical prostatectomy is an example of this costly treatment and it is suggested by doctors to those whose tumors have already spread around the lymph nodes and or when the gland gets bigger. This treatment is a surgery wherein the prostate gland, or a part of it and the lymph nodes are removed to stop the cancer cells from spreading. This surgery is carried out through an incision either in the abdomen or the rectum or scrotum. In every surgery, there are certain risks. After the prostate gland is removed, a catheter will be attached to the person's bladder wherein the tube passes through the penis to carry out the urine. The degree of recovery with this treatment of prostate cancer depends on the age, the health condition of the person and of course, the stage of cancer of the person.

Each treatment of prostate cancer has its own risk and recovery period. The best thing to do to know the right kind of treatment is to religiously visit the doctor and undergo tests so that the doctor can have an accurate diagnosis of the disease. On the other side of the coin though, eating healthy foods and maintaining a healthy lifestyle would help a lot in the recovery. All kinds of treatment wouldn't be very effective if the body is not healthy and good. We have to remember that our body is very important.

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Restoring Sexual Function After Radical Prostatectomy

Radical prostatectomy is major surgery that removes the entire prostate gland plus some surrounding tissue. It is carried out on patients having prostate cancer.

For the incision, doctors have two options:

1. it can be made through the abdomen and under the pubic bone, exposing the entire surface of the prostate, or
2. through the perineum, the skin between the scrotum and the anus.

For the full recovery the patient needs up to 12 weeks and, in 80 per cent of cases, radical prostatectomy can lead to impotence.

Impotence means you cannot have an erection and it is more likely if you're older. The severity of the impotence depends on the type of surgery, stage of cancer, and skill of the surgeon.

If the nerve-sparing technique is used, recovery from impotence may occur within the first year following the procedure. Recovery of impotence after a non-nerve-sparing surgery is unlikely, but possible.

The incidence of prostate cancer is very high in the Middle East, and more and more patients are looking to be cured not just oncologically, but also to obtain a sexual quality of life after surgery.

Sildenafil (Viagra) has been found to help restore potency on average in about a third of patients, but some men may recover better than others. In one study, about 80% of younger men potent before surgery and having then bilateral nerve sparing procedures responded to the drug. Viagra is unlikely to be effective for men who had unilateral or no nerve sparing procedures.

Middle East doctors are to prescribe Viagra to men recovering from prostate gland surgery, as the drug has been shown to speed up the recovery process. The fact that Viagra can restore sexual-function so soon after surgery is welcome news. In terms of sexual function, for prostate cancer sufferers this is fantastic.

Valerian D is a freelance writer specialized in health issues affecting men such as restoring sexual function after vasectomy

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Understanding Radical Prostatectomy As a Prostate Cancer Treatment Option

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in American men. It is also the most common cancer found among men over fifty in the United States and continues to grow at a rampant rate. If prostate cancer is detected early, it is very curable with the proper treatment.

There are quite a few treatment options to choose from when selecting the appropriate procedure. One of the best procedure options for you to consider is a radical prostatectomy. A radical prostatectomy is a common treatment method that involves the surgical removal of the prostate gland. The radical prostatectomy procedure is mainly encouraged for young, healthy men under the age of 70. A prostatectomy is not typically performed on men 70 and above because of the serious complications that can occur.

Choosing a Surgeon:
It's suggested that patients seeking the best treatment outcome seek a qualified urologist with training in prostate cancer prostatectomy. With an experienced surgeon, the radical prostatectomy should take no more than two hours to perform, with no need for blood transfusion. Depending upon the urologist's skill set in performing the procedure, the patient may wear a catheter for only a few days instead of the maximum three weeks.

Radical Prostatectomy:
A radical prostatectomy is the surgical removal of the prostate gland. It is a major surgical procedure which is performed in a hospital with the patient under general anesthesia. This procedure is considered to offer the second greatest chance for long-term survival (the highest cure rates are found at a radiation therapy practice in Georgia where they use a combined radiation procedure). During a radical prostatectomy, the surgeon removes the entire prostate and then reconnects the urethra and bladder. After surgery is complete, patients usually remain in the hospital from two to four days.

Complications to the Prostatectomy Procedure:
The outcome of the treatment, cure and complication rates vary based on the urologist performing the surgery. However, the most common complications following prostate cancer treatment are urinary incontinence (uncontrolled urine leakage) and erectile dysfunction (ED, the inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse). The majority of men receiving this treatment will suffer from some degree of urinary incontinence and ED immediately following surgery, but should gradually improve over time.

A prostate cancer radical prostatectomy is one potential solution. Let's look at the issue of prostate cancer from a higher level.

Selecting the Proper Treatment that's Right for You:
Choosing the most appropriate prostate cancer treatment for an individual depends upon several factors. These include:
- Which treatment option is going to offer the best chance of curing the cancer (and be careful here as there are many definitions of "cure" - but the only one that has been proven reliable is 0.2 ng/ml five years post-treatment).
- Potential side effects associated with the different forms of treatment.
- Examining the rate at which the cancer is growing and how fast it's spreading to determine the most effective course of treatment
- Patient age, life expectancy and general health, including any other medical conditions
- The experience and training of the treating physician

There is always some form of shock to men when diagnosed with this type of cancer. Men need time to react and not rush into any healthcare decision early. Its recommended men review all prostate cancer treatment options, outcomes and complications, with a physician to select the best treatment that's right for them. And don't be afraid to ask your physician tough questions - ask them how long they trained on the procedure they recommend, and what their personal cure rate is.

Where to Get Additional Information:
While your healthcare provider is a good source for prostate cancer information and answering your questions/concerns related to your medical condition, it's also important that if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer that you take the time to educate yourself on this disease. Prostate cancer is usually slow-growing, so you have time to do the research on the best treatment option for you, so check the web, read articles and books, and try to talk with others who have faced the battle you are now facing yourself and find out what they did.

No two patient's healthcare conditions are exactly alike and recommendations can vary with physicians. You should conduct your own research to learn and understand prostate cancer and all the available treatment options. With very few exceptions, you only have one chance at being cured; with proper knowledge you'll be able to make the most efficient and effective decision.

John Critz helps inform men about prostate cancer treatment [http://www.rcog.com/] options including prostate cancer radical prostatectomy [http://www.rcog.com/] His company, RCOG helps educate males about radical prostatectomy among other procedures.

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