Oct 13
Radiation therapy is one of the many treatment options prostate cancer patient has to choose. This is a method that uses high energy x-rays or any other types or energy. It aims to kill the most cancers cells or to keep the most cancers cells from growing back again.
There are two known types of therapy using radiation which can be used to treat prostate cancer. One is the actual external radiation therapy (XRT) which utilizes a machine or perhaps a medical equipment outside of the entire body and is capable of sending rays. The other one is the internal radiation therapy which uses radioactive substance like in the brachytherapy.
An example of an external radiation therapy is the IMRT or the Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in which multiple beams coming from a variety of directions are used to focused on the target area- the prostate gland. The physicians were able to adjust the strength and the strength of the beams based on the computerized program prior to the operation. This is important so that more radiation will blast the actual tumors or the cancer tissue and less is delivered to the surrounding organs like bladder and rectum.
In Brachytherapy, some small radioactive capsules which they call “seeds” tend to be implanted into the cancerous prostate glands. These seeds will then give off radiation to the surrounding areas aiming to kill all the malignant tumors. Men that are identified as having prostate cancer at stage T1 or T2 are said to be candidate for this type of treatment.
The oncologist first results in a 3-D grid map area of prostate gland using TRUS or Transrectal Ultrasound. The computer will then calculates the volume of the gland; determine the number of seeds that will be implanted and also to figure out the location of the implantation.
The procedure would consider about 50 to 60 minutes to finish and usually on an hospital basis. The patient is only provided a regional anesthesia prior to a needle with about 100 or more rice-sized seeds are placed to a predetermined area. These types of seeds contain the radioactive isotopes of palladium 103 and iodine 125 capable of emitting rays for a period of three months. These types of isotopes will become inert after the three 30 days period.
There are side effects the actual men are suffering when given radiation. Impotence as well as urinary system problems is the most common types. Men who went through the radiation therapy have a greater risk of anal cancer and also bladder most cancers. A small number of patients who have undergone brachytherapy especially those over the age of 70 are also noted to have experience erectile dysfunction or incontinence.
With the technology of ours today, period will come the percentage of men will be fully recovered after the rays or other treatment options they undergone. Gather more information through going to http://www.ProstateRadiation.org.
Oct 11
One important substance that’s produced by the prostate Antigen may be the PSA or the Prostate Gland Antige. This substance is commonly found in the semen but a small amount could have leaked in our bloodstream. A blood test can be done to determine the amount of PSA in our bloodstream. It is usually measured in nanograms per millimeter of blood. Men with normal prostate may have fewer than 4 nanograms, higher than this reading would mean having a prostate cancer.
American Cancer Society reported that if the PSA level is between 4 and 10 regarding 25% chance you will have a prostate cancer. The higher the PSA level than 10 increases the chance also of having a cancer by 50%. There are several elements that might be the reason for the elevation of the PSA. It includes ejaculation, irritation of the so called prostate gland and also the non cancerous enlargement of the prostate. Although PSA levels raises naturally as the person gets older, it would be to your advantage if you make sure your prostate are normal and dealing just fine.
A Prostate Particular Antigen or a PSA is also known as a proteins that is formed by the prostate. A test to measure the depend of PSA in the blood is also called PSA test. By taking a small amount of blood sample, the doctor tests it in the laboratory to look for the PSA level. This test is also referred to as tumor marker because it may be used also to detect diseases.
Usually men have lower count associated with PSA in their blood. Benign as well as prostate cancer conditions increases the degree of PSA. The most benign prostate situation is the prostatitis or the inflammation of the prostate. The PSA level is not the just basis of the doctor to help him or her distinguish benign from cancer. But the result is taken into account when deciding if follow check-up is necessary to determine the presence associated with prostate cancer.
In the US, the Food as well as Drug Administration has already authorized the way of PSA together with the digital anal exam or DRE to help them find the existence of prostate cancer in a 50 year old patient or older. If the PSA level started to rise once again it could be a sign that the cancer is recurring. Some doctors are using PSA test as well as DRE to help the actual doctors detect the presence of prostate cancer to these patients that have absolutely no symptoms at all.
The level of the psa might not be due to the prostate cancer, but it works as a basis in some other prostate-related illnesses which will eventually lead to cancer. More information can be found through visiting http://www.ProstateCancerPSA.org.
Oct 10
After you have been diagnose having a prostate cancer, the next step would be to give you a series of test to find out if the most cancers cells are just contained in the prostate gland or has already spread with other parts of the body. The process of finding is known as staging.
The result of the test which was given and other information gathered will be the basis in finding the stage of the disease. This is required so that the doctor will have an idea what treatment plan is appropriate for your stage. One of the test or procedure that is being done in staging process is called Radionuclide bone scan. This is a procedure to understand if the cancer cells distribute in the bone.
In Stage I prostate cancer, the actual malignant cancer cells are just contained in the prostate glands. Using needle biopsy, most cancers cells is found about one half or less of the one lobe of prostate. Most of the cancer cells are not visible by image resolution and cannot be felt when having a digital rectal exam. The level of PSA is lower that Ten the Gleason score is 6.
In Stage II, it is more advanced than the Stage I but still the cancers cells were not able to spread outside the prostate. It is divided into Phase IIA or Stage IIB. The PSA level in Stage IIA is at least Ten but lower than 20 while the Gleason score is 7. Cancer is located more or less one-half lobe of the prostate. In Phase IIB on the other and, cancer is located both lobes of the prostate. It is not visible still by image resolution yet nor felt throughout rectal exam.
In the Phase III, the cancer cells have already distribute outside the prostate gland. It may spread towards the nearby tissues even to the actual seminal vesicles, a gland that produces the actual semen. It does not reach faraway areas yet where other organs and lymph nodes are found. The actual PSA is already at any level and the Gleason score is ranging from 2 to 10.
Phase IV is the final stage. In this stage, cancer cells has spread not only to the actual seminal vesicles but to nearby internal organs like the bladder, rectum as well as the pelvic wall. Others even spread to lymph nodes and close by bones. The most common symptoms of most cancers already in Stage Intravenous is trouble with urinating, blood in urine, severe pain in the lower abdomen, weak point and nausea. By knowing the stage of your cancer, your doctor are now able to device a treatment plan suitable for your case. Additional details can be found through visiting http://www.ProstateCancerStages.net.
Oct 09
A prostate is found in the reproductive system from the male found just below the other excretory organ called bladder and it is in front of the lower part of the intestine. It just the same size as the walnut and surrounds most part of the urethra. This gland produces liquids which is part of the semen.
Prostate cancer is a type of excretory disease wherein there is an abnormal growth of malignant cells type in the prostate’s tissues. This is mostly feasible on older men. As they age, their prostate becomes bigger and will have the tendency to block either the bladder or even the urethra. Difficulty in urinating and often interfere with sexual function occurs.
Treatment options for prostate cancer depend on several factors. One is on your overall health, how fast the cancer is spreading, how much it’s spread and the possible side effects of the treatment. If the most cancers is diagnosed early, treatment right away may not be necessary, others may not need it after all. Doctors would recommend what you call an active surveillance. It includes normal blood tests, biopsies and anal exams to take note from the progress of the cancer.
If it is progressing, you need to talk to your physician to come up with a treatment plan that is suited for your cancer stage. One of the possible treatments is through radiation therapy. This method makes use of powerful energy to kill the most cancers cells. There are two ways of providing radiation: external beam radiation or brachytherapy where rice-sized radioactive seeds tend to be implanted in your prostate tissues.
Another treatment is the use of hormone therapy to stop the body from producing testosterone, the male hormone. Remember the most cancers cells rely on this man hormone in order to grow. Cancer cells die down or simply grow slowly without the way to obtain these hormones. The medicine that will be used is either to stop the body from producing hormone or to block the androgenic hormone or testosterone to ever reaching the cells of cancer. Orchiectomy or the removal of testicles is another option. This is to reduce the level of androgenic hormone or testosterone.
The hormone therapy is used for men with advanced cancer. The possible side effects are hot flashes, erectile dysfunction, and weight gain and reduced sex drive. Although these treatments may have side effects depending on the response of the entire body, possibility of cure is at hands. Just make sure to discuss with your physician which is the most appropriate and the most necessary treatment for your most cancers. More details can be found when you will visit this site http://www.ProstrateCancerTreatment.org.
Oct 08
There are various treatments in prostate cancer. All these especially the radiotherapy is aiming to destroy just the malignant tumor or the most cancers cells. Most of the time though not just the cancer cells are destroyed but the healthy cells and tissues.
Side effects will be experienced by the individual. A side effect is the undesirable motion of the treatment or the impact of the drug given about the patient. Its duration would depend about the type of treatment that was given and varies from one individual to the next. Some of the side effects result from the treatment used to stop multiplication of cancer. The others are because of the disease itself. The two known major side effects suffered by a prostate cancer patient in their therapy are erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
Failure to hold urine inside the bladder voluntarily or inability to control the flow of the pee which is called urinary incontinence. Some patients regain control after a few weeks of surgery and rays treatment. There are exercises that really help a patient regain this kind of negative effects. They call it Kegel exercise. You will find medications that may help relieve also incontinence. Talk to your doctor about this.
Erectile dysfunction is the failure to achieve or even maintain an erection which is required during sexual intercourse. Ninety percent will experience impotence especially if they undergone orchiectomy or the removal of testicles. Hormonal treatment also causes impotence simply because one of the aims of this treatment methods are to reduce the male hormone testosterone level.
Other side effects of the different treatment of prostate cancer include infertility, pain and weakening of the bone fragments. There are cases the cancer spreads to the bones already. This condition would result to a lot of agonizing pain and will weaken the bone which later result to fracture if not treated. You need to talk to your doctor about these before the start of your strategy to you to come up with the possible therapy with fewer side effects or even tolerable side effects.
Men receiving treatment may have one or more of these negative effects but take note not all males will have the same effect; other people may not have at all. Let your doctor know the side effects you are struggling. They are there with you and with the health care team will help you to be more comfortable as possible. There are support services you can turn to if you think like talking about your pain. Support groups and counseling helps a lot in managing the negative effects you are suffering. Gather more details through visiting http://www.ProstateCancerSideEffects.com.