ABOUT Prostate Cancer - Symptoms, Causes and Treatment - Maximed Turkey
Prostate Cancer Surgery
If your doctor tells you that surgery is an option for you, it might seem like the only way to help save your life. Surgery is seen as a quick fix, which can lead to unnecessary side effects and complications. Even if this seems scary or intimidating, there are many benefits of choosing surgery instead of radiation therapy.
When it comes to cancer treatment options, surgery is not always the best solution for men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Radiation therapy can delay the progression of prostate cancer by shrinking tumors before they spread out throughout the body. With fewer side effects and quicker recovery times, radiation therapy may provide more comfort to patients who need immediate relief from symptoms caused by disease progression.
Radical (Open) Prostatectomy
A radical prostatectomy is one of the most invasive surgeries for removing prostate cancer. This surgery involves the removal of the entire prostate gland, including some surrounding nerves and tissue. Radical prostatectomies are usually recommended when cancer has spread to other parts of the body or if there is a high probability that it will spread in the future.
Radical prostatectomy also provides great results for patients dealing with urinary problems and other constant pain caused by localized disease progression. If you need immediate relief from your symptoms or if your condition is advancing very slowly, then a radical prostatectomy could be the best option for treating your disease.
The recovery period from this procedure can vary from patient to patient, depending on their health and age.
Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy
This surgical procedure is performed through tiny incisions, which is similar to how a laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery is performed for female patients. However, this procedure is more invasive than traditional open surgery because the surgeon has limited access to certain parts of the body.
Women who had a similar laparoscopy-assisted surgery for breast cancer often choose this radical prostatectomy since it offers the same benefits and better healing capabilities.
Prostate Cancer: Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is a powerful way to reduce tumor size in localized prostate cancer, but it does have a few side effects that need to be monitored to avoid life-long risks.
Today, many patients with localized prostate cancer are still choosing radiation therapy over surgery due to the potential for longer survival times and better quality of life. If you live in an area where there are few or no radiation centres close by, then your doctor may recommend that you consider this option.
Radiation therapy may be recommended for patients who have either low-risk cancers or high-risk disease that has spread to other parts of the body.
The type of radiation therapy received after the surgery depends on your situation, whether you have a tumor in one or both testicles or if cancer has penetrated your bladder wall.
Like radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy can also cause nerve damage in men who have prostate cancer.
Recovery from Radical Prostatectomy
Once your surgery is complete, you will be instructed on what to expect in the immediate and long-term recovery periods. You should take care of your body's needs and continue to follow any doctors' orders for recovery.
There may be several different methods used to measure pain during your recovery process. It can take up to 3 months for your prostate cancer treatment to start working as intended. Your doctor will likely recommend physical therapy or support group activities as part of your post-surgery regimen at first. However, after coming out of the recovery stage you should start more intensive physical activities.
The most common side effect of this surgery is pain in the groin or pelvis area. You can expect your doctor to prescribe pain medication to help control these symptoms. Blood in the semen is another common disease progression after prostate surgery. Your doctor will provide you with prescribed medication and therapy recommendations for this symptom as well.
Recovery from Radiation Therapy
After prostate cancer treatment, radiation therapy has some long-term effects on men that need monitoring by your doctor or clinic staff. The most common side effects are swelling of the scrotum, bruising on the scrotum, and changes in urine flow patterns caused by bladder irritation.
Frequently Asked Questions Prostate Cancer
What is Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland located below and to the outside of the bladder (urinary bladder). The prostate surrounds part of the urethra (a tube that carries urine from the bladder outlet to outside) and helps secrete fluids into semen. It also cells that line the walls of the urethra.
Therefore, prostate cancer affects only men and usually occurs when cells change and grow uncontrollably (invade), beyond what is normal for their function or growth. That is why most men with prostate cancer are older than 65 years old. The risk increases according to age. About 13 percent of men in their 60s and nearly half of the men in their 70s and 80s have prostate cancer.
How common is Prostate Cancer?
In the United States, about 1 out of 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, but only 1 in 41 men will die from the disease. The death rates for this disease are due to high-risk cancers that have spread beyond the prostate gland into nearby tissue or nearby lymph nodes.
1 in 3 African-American males and nearly 1 out of 2 older African-American males will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime, compared to 1 in 6 white males.
