| Prostate cancer is the most common occurring | | | | External beam radiation is another of the more |
| cancer in men worldwide, and thus is an incredibly | | | | common prostate cancer treatments, and it is one |
| serious issue. Prostate cancer is a cancer that occurs | | | | that is more readily available, and in which beams of |
| in the prostate gland, which is part of the male | | | | high-energy radiation are directed from outside the |
| reproductive system. The prostate gland is the size | | | | body towards a target inside of the body. Hormone |
| of a large walnut, and it is located just below the | | | | therapy is yet another of the most popular prostate |
| bladder and next to the urethra. | | | | cancer treatments, and is actually one of the oldest |
| Prostate cancer starts in the glandular tissue of the | | | | means of treating prostate cancer as well. |
| prostate gland, and although the exact cause of this | | | | Hormone therapy is also known as androgen |
| cancer is unknown, what is known is that the cancer | | | | deprivation therapy, and the point or goal of it is to |
| most often occurs in men over the age of fifty, with | | | | reduce levels of the male hormones, or androgens, in |
| married men for some reason being at much higher | | | | the body, as these can actually be responsible for |
| risk than single men. | | | | helping the disease to spread. Therefore, lowering |
| Prostate Cancer Treatments | | | | the levels of these androgens will often make the |
| Although as of yet there is no cure for prostate | | | | prostate cancer shrink or at least grow more slowly. |
| cancer, there are various prostate cancer treatments | | | | Hormone therapy is typically used in the following |
| that are available to help you. One of the most | | | | situations: if your prostate cancer remains or comes |
| common prostate cancer treatments is surgery, and | | | | back after treatment with surgery or radiation |
| surgical removal of the prostate, also known as | | | | therapy, as an addition to radiation therapy as initial |
| radical prostatectomy, is available to many men who | | | | treatment if you are at high risk for cancer |
| are suffering from localized prostate cancer. | | | | recurrence, before surgery or radiation to try and |
| This surgery involves the removal of the prostate | | | | shrink the cancer to make other treatments more |
| and as well the surrounding tissues, a specified | | | | effective, and if you are not able to have surgery or |
| portion of the urethra, and the seminal vesicles. | | | | radiation treatments. |
| During the surgery when the prostate is being | | | | The particular type of treatment that you should use |
| removed, the surgeon will attempt to save the | | | | for your prostate cancer will be decided by your |
| nerves that are surrounding the prostate, those | | | | doctor, and you should never attempt getting |
| which are responsible for erections. This however is | | | | involved with any method of treatment without |
| not guaranteed. | | | | referral from your physician first. |