For most men, the initial thought after receiving their diagnosis centers on prostate cancer treatments.
At the outset, two of the most common forms of treatment are surgery and radiation. Surgery effectively removes the cancer cells manually or through the use of less invasive lasers. Radiation therapy involves killing or shrinking the cancer cells with high energy x-rays via an external source or by implanting a radioactive "seed" near the cancer site.
For more advanced or recurring cases of prostate cancer, chemotherapy is frequently used. Though often believed to be the same as radiation, chemotherapy relies on drugs that are typically administered intravenously to destroy the cancer cells.
In addition to chemotherapy, if the prostate cancer spreads to other sites on the body or for fighting advanced or metastatic stages, hormone therapy and biophosphates are commonly employed. Hormone therapy draws on drugs that impede testosterone production, while biophosphate treatments work to offset the bone weakness that hormone therapy can produce.
These are all treatments administered by medical professionals, but complementary therapies, also known as alternative or holistic treatments, have been found to support more traditional methods. Examples of these treatments are herbal medicines and vitamin supplements, therapeutic massage and other forms of healing touch, and harnessing mental energy to aid in healing.
While these treatments are all currently available, patients should remember that new investigational treatments are introduced all of the time. These are therapies or medicines that may be effective, even though they are still in the research phases or not approved for widespread use.
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