About Cesium-131

Other Therapies for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Some market surveys indicate the number of seed brachytherapy procedures in the United States now exceed those of prostatectomy. There are several other therapies in use, each with its own risks and benefits. Be sure to discuss all available treatment options with your doctor.

Radical Prostatectomy

Surgical removal of the prostate gland can be an effective treatment for prostate cancer. It is usually performed on early stage cancer before it can spread beyond the prostate. Many doctors choose to combine prostatectomy with other treatment modalities such as external beam radiation and hormone therapy.

Prostatectomy requires an average hospital stay of three to five days and may take up to eight weeks for recovery. Studies have shown that prostatectomy may result in incontinence and often causes impotence.

External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT and IMRT)

By targeting selected body tissue with a beam of radiation that originates outside the body, external beam radiation therapy can also treat prostate cancer. A newer version of the treatment known as Intensity Modulated Radiation Treatment (IMRT) works the same way, but with a modulated beam for targeting of the tumor.

EBRT typically requires five visits per week for six to eight weeks. Complications may include incontinence, impotence or diminished sexual ability and rectal injury. Side effects may include fatigue and diarrhea, as well as frequent and painful urination.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery, accomplished by freezing and destroying the prostate, is another treatment option for prostate cancer. Using an ultrasound for guidance, a doctor inserts a probe filled with liquid nitrogen through the skin into the prostate which freezes the prostate tissue.

Cryosurgery usually requires a two or three day hospital stay. Damage to the nerves and blood vessels surrounding the prostate can cause complications, which may include incontinence and impotence. In studies of cryosurgery a majority of men experienced impotence following treatment.

Other Therapies

Often used in conjunction with other treatments, hormone therapy (or LH-RHa therapy) suppresses testosterone levels, which in turn slows the growth of prostate tumors. By itself hormone therapy has not been shown to effectively treat cancer and its effects are short lived.

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment which uses cytotoxic drugs to target cells that divide rapidly, like cancer cells. Unfortunately, chemotherapy also affects normal cells which fit those characteristics, such as those in bone marrow, hair follicles and intestines. The result is serious side effects such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diminished sexual ability, diarrhea, and low white blood cell count. Because of this, chemotherapy is more often used in advanced prostate cancer, or in conjunction with other treatments.

Another option for prostate cancer therapy is Watchful Waiting or Active Surveillance. Patient and doctor carefully observe the condition of the prostate, without direct treatment. This therapy is sometimes recommended for older men who have mild symptoms and do not find them particularly bothersome. However, a recent Swedish clinical study showed a significant rise in prostate cancer deaths after 15 years of watchful waiting.