| Doctors will try different medications before referring | | | | to a great extent especially if the prostate cancer |
| you to a medical oncologist. If you are referred to | | | | has spread to the bones. As explained before, the |
| one that would imply that your prostate cancer has | | | | cancer will not totally disappear nor will you live |
| reached an advanced stage. They would then be | | | | longer. |
| speaking about Chemotherapy. | | | | Let us examine some other medications that are |
| Chemotherapy will destroy the cancer cells by | | | | used and how they function: |
| interfering with their growth and reproduction. | | | | Doxorubicin is an anti-tumor antibiotic which works by |
| Chemotherapy can be performed either by | | | | damaging the nuclei of cells. |
| administering drugs or by performing surgical | | | | Paclitaxel is a member of the Taxane group which |
| operations. In some cases, it could be a combination | | | | functions by fastening the microtubules of cells and |
| of these two. Chemotherapy can in some cases be | | | | thus causing the cells to crumble during division. |
| very effective the prostate cancer but will not cure | | | | Etoposide functions by slowing down the process of |
| it. | | | | mitosis in cancerous cells. |
| The known side-effects are chemotherapy are | | | | Vinblastine is an antineoplastic which breaks apart cell |
| nausea, hair losses and mouth sores. A new | | | | division and is derived from the Madagascar |
| technique called fractionated dose will diminish those | | | | periwinkle. |
| side-effects. | | | | The use of chemotherapy in prostate cancer is still |
| Two common chemotherapy drugs are Mitoxantrone | | | | being studied and men who do have recourse to |
| as well as Corticosteroids. The other drugs that are | | | | chemotherapy are strongly encouraged to discuss |
| used for chemotherapy are rednisone, Paclitaxel and | | | | with their doctors about experimental trials. |
| Docetaxel. The final brand which is becoming more | | | | Your oncologist will inform you of the benefits and |
| and more popular is Estramustine. | | | | drawbacks to of the different drugs described |
| Doctors will usually advice you to undergo a surgical | | | | above. So do seek medical advice too and you would |
| operation. You will then be given some medications | | | | be in a better position to decide according to your |
| to take. Many studies have shown that this | | | | own health and your personal values. |
| combination reduces the pains experienced by men | | | | |