The truth and how to prevent cancer
 

Welcome to our cancer related articles.

 

(Browse for more articles)

 

Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment

Q1: What are the treatment options for A study of more than 1,000 men with
advanced prostate cancer? advanced hormone-refractory prostate
Advanced prostate cancer is cancer that cancer demonstrated that giving an
has spread from the prostate to the injection of Taxotere in combination with
pelvic lymph nodes or to other parts of prednisone every three weeks demonstrated
the body. Advanced prostate cancer cannot a survival advantageof 2.5 months over
be cured but the progression of the prednisone and the chemotherapy drug
disease can be slowed and men can be made mitoxantrone, which are FDA-approved to
more comfortable with hormonal therapy relieve pain in men with
and, occasionally, chemotherapy. hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
Hormonal therapy is currently the first Side effects of chemotherapy include
treatment that is recommended to men with nausea and vomiting, fatigue, infection
advanced prostate cancer. The goal of risk, hair loss and tingling and numbness
hormonal therapy is to lower levels of in the hands and feet. People who
male hormones, or androgens, such as experience side effects from
testosterone, which can fuel the growth chemotherapy, however, can
of prostate cancer. This can be achieved takemedications to combat nausea and
with eithersurgery or medication. vomiting and low blood counts that lead
Testosterone levels can be reduced to fatigue and infection.
surgically by removing the testicles in Q4: What therapies can I take to control
an outpatient procedure known as an prostate cancer symptoms?
orchiectomy; prosthetic testicles may be Men with advanced prostate cancer may
used in the testicles' place. experience symptoms of their disease,
If a patient prefers medication to such as pain, that require treatment to
surgery, drugs such as LHRH agonists may make them feel more comfortable.
be given as shots every few months to External radiation treatments might be
lower testosterone levels. Other drugs, delivered periodically to shrink tumors
such as anti-androgens and estrogen and help to relieve pain.
therapy, can help block the activity of A group of drugs called bisphosphonates
male hormones. Sometimes surgery and can also be used to ease pain from cancer
medications are tried in combination. that has traveled to the bones; these
Side effects of hormonal therapy include drugs may also help prevent bone
impotence, low sex drive, tiredness, hot metastases.
flashes and weight gain. While hormonal Pain can also be managed with painkillers
therapy can lead to remissions up to two and non-drug methods. Some men might try
or three years, it cannot stave off the complementary therapies, such as
progression of advanced prostate cancer acupuncture, herbal therapies or
indefinitely and the disease usually meditation; it's important to tell your
returns. doctors about the complementary therapies
Q2: How will I know if hormonal therapy you are considering since there are risks
is working? for drug interactions and side effects.
The main way to determine whether Q5: Should I consider a clinical trial?
hormonal therapy is working is by Clinical trials are studies conducted in
measuring prostate-specific antigen (PSA) people to evaluate new methods and
levels with a blood test. Blood levels of medications for safety and effectiveness.
this protein can measure the presence and Many ongoing trials are investigating new
activity of prostate cancer. approaches to treating advanced prostate
So if PSA levels are going up, that's cancer, including cryosurgery, which uses
usually a sign that the treatment isn't liquid nitrogen to kill prostate cancer
working as well as it has been. cells, as well as new chemotherapy
There are rare instances when the PSA may combinations and new approaches to
not go up as the cancer is growing. In radiation therapy.
those cases, people usually have You should discuss the risks and benefits
symptoms, such as bone pain, which should of participating in a clinical trial with
be evaluated with X-rays. Some doctors your doctor.
may monitor for metastases with CT scans, Tips on how you can prepare for this
MRIs or bone scans. discussion:
Q3: What can be done if the hormonal Get a three-ring binder for all of your
options don't work? medical documents.
When someone has advanced prostate cancer Get copies of all of your laboratory and
that is no longer responding to hormonal pathology reports.
therapies-a condition known as Bring a note pad, tape recorder or a
hormone-refractory prostate cancer-other friend as another set of ears to your
forms of treatment may be required. doctor's appointments to be sure you do
Until recently, chemotherapy, which kills not miss any of the information.
fast-growing cells typical of most Make a list of all medications and
cancers, was not thought to work against complementary therapies you are taking.
prostate cancer cells, which are usually Consider your goals for treatment.
slow growing. Even though chemotherapy If considering hormonal therapy, consider
was sometimes used to relieve pain in men whether you prefer surgery or medications
with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, that will suppress your hormones.
it had never beenshown to improve Make a list of all symptoms and
survival. medication side effects you are
But in May 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug experiencing.
Administration (FDA) approved a Prepare a list of your questions and
chemotherapy drug called Taxotere concerns.
(docetaxel) for use in combination with Find out what clinical trials might be
the steroid prednisone, for the treatment available to you.
of advanced prostate cancer that is not Consider your expectations for
responding to hormone therapy. This new participating in a clinical trial.
combination can help some patientslive Consider the advantages and disadvantages
longer with the disease. of being in a clinical trial.




www.sibleyradonc.com keyword stats [2007-10-19-2007-10-19]



Other search engines trends:



Other search phrases:

How Are Cancer And Mitosis Connected? mitosis and cancer
Mitosis Related to Cancer How Is Mitosis Related to Cancer
Uncontrolled Mitosis metastatic colon cancer in bone
how long do you have to live with stage prostate cancer alternative
prevention of coronary heart disease current prostate cancer treatment
colon cancer cure rates bone marrow cancer treatments
alternative treatment for colon cancer is there a cure for bone cancer
lung cancer treatments gastric cancer treatment
new cure for prostate cancer prostate cancer cure
cervical cancer treatments kidney cancer treatment
how to cure cancer throat cancer symptoms
hpv and cervical cancer treatment best treatment for colon cancer
center for disease control prevention





1- A- B- C- D- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45- 46- 47- 48- 49- 50- 51- 52- 53- 54- 55-