| If you've been told that you have | | | | cancer treatment when the cancer has |
| prostate cancer, then you've probably | | | | dangerously spread beyond the prostate |
| had The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) | | | | gland of victims. The major benefit of |
| Test, been physically checked and | | | | this radiation treatment strategy is |
| probably have already had a biopsy | | | | that it will help to spare healthy |
| performed. Once all this has | | | | nearby tissues. This in turn will limit |
| established your condition, your cancer | | | | the side effects experienced. |
| is then assigned a score. | | | | This type of treatment plan is not |
| These scores determine what stage your | | | | available in all hospitals. Most larger |
| cancer has progressed. During the | | | | towns and cities however have nuclear |
| biopsy, the lab will assign what's | | | | medicine options available. Given the |
| called a Gleason score helps the doctor | | | | high success rate of this prostate |
| in determining what stage your prostate | | | | cancer treatment, it's well worth your |
| cancer is currently in. The | | | | time to locate health resources that |
| appropriateness of any treatment is | | | | specialize in this type of program |
| dependant on the advancement of your | | | | Remember that just because you have been |
| prostate cancer. Staging and the | | | | diagnosed with prostate cancer, it's not |
| Gleason score will help determine which | | | | a death sentence. Many people with |
| treatment program is right for you. | | | | prostate cancer have followed their |
| While a prostate cancer is considered | | | | doctors advice and went with a treatment |
| serious, don't forget that it's | | | | known simply as watchful waiting. As |
| typically very slow growing. If your | | | | the name implies, watchful waiting is a |
| cancer has progressed to the stage where | | | | situation where no direct action is |
| intervention is necessary, a procedure | | | | taken to treat the prostate cancer. The |
| known as Brachytherapy may be in order. | | | | reason for this is to maintain the |
| Simply put, radioactive material is | | | | quality of life for as long as possible. |
| sealed in small seeds or pellets that | | | | Direct intervention plans such as |
| are placed directly around a prostate | | | | Brachytherapy are not without their |
| tumor. It is also called an internal | | | | risks and side effects. |
| radiation or implant radiation. There's | | | | Watchful waiting may be an appropriate |
| no question that this treatment program | | | | course of action for your prostate |
| is effective and does a good job in | | | | cancer depending on your age and other |
| controlling prostate cancer | | | | factors. Only you and your doctor can |
| Internal radiotherapy or Brachytherapy | | | | determine what treatment program is |
| is usually the recommended prostate | | | | right for you. |