If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you will most likely be faced with several treatment options. These different therapies may be used alone or in conjunction with another type of treatment. Your options will depend on the stage of your cancer and on your general overall health. Since each patient’s case is unique, only a well informed oncologist can help you with decisions regarding treatment.

The most popular and effective treatments for prostate cancer are briefly discussed below, including possible side effects. Several of these treatment therapies are new or are still in the clinical trial process, so all the treatments might not be available in your area or from your physician.

Radiation

Radiation therapy either kills cancer cells or prevents them from growing. Radiation therapy can be either external or internal. With external radiation, a machine is used outside the body to “aim” the radiation beams at the cancer cells. With internal radiation, a radioactive substance is seeded directly into the cancer, usually via a catheter or needles. Both types of radiation are sometimes used together.

Side effects: Side effects for external radiation include impotence, urinary problems, fatigue, or rectal bleeding. The side effects for internal radiation might include impotence, frequent urination, painful urination, and bowel impairments.

Hormones

Hormone therapy targets specific male sex hormones that allow or cause prostate cancer cells to grow. This is usually accomplished with the use of other hormones, or with drugs or surgery. With one such surgery, an orchiectomy, one or both testicles are removed. Other forms of hormone therapy, however, are not as drastic.

Side effects: decreased libido, impotence, weakened bones, hot flashes.

Chemotherapy

With chemotherapy, drugs that kill the cancerous cells or stop cancer cells from dividing are given to the patient orally or intravenously. Another type of chemotherapy, regional chemo, places the drug into a specific area of the body.

Side effects: hair loss, nausea, and oral sores.

Ultrasound

With this treatment, a probe is inserted into the rectum, and high-energy sound waves are used to destroy the cancer cells. The high temperatures delivered by the computer-controlled probe are highly focused to destroy tumors while not harming surrounding tissues. This new procedure claims to be as effective as surgery, with fewer side effects and a much shorter recovery time.

Side effects: possible erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

Biotherapy

Biotherapy uses the patient’s immune system to fight cancer cells. Natural body defenses, including T-cells and macrophages, are stimulated to help inhibit and destroy cancerous cells. This type of therapy is usually used in conjunction with other therapies.

Side effects: rashes, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms.

Cryotherapy

With this form of treatment, cancer cells are frozen and destroyed by use of a special instrument. The prostate is not removed in this procedure.

Side effects: impotence, urinary or rectal incontinence, swelling of the scrotum, pelvic pain, bloody urine, or numbness or pain in the penis.

Surgery

Men in otherwise good health may be offered surgery option to remove the prostate cancer. There are several different types of prostate cancer surgery. Depending on the extent of the cancer, part of the prostate might be surgically removed, or the entire prostate could be removed. In some cases, the prostate gland and its surrounding tissues are removed. The lymph nodes in the pelvis near the prostate gland may also be removed. The newest form of prostate surgery is done laparoscopically, with a small incision in the navel.

Side effects: impotence, urinary and rectal incontinence.