What Is the Latest Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

Researchers are continuously coming up with and testing new types of treatment for prostate cancer. One of the newer treatments is Cryosurgery.

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men in the U.S. 

There were an estimated 192,000 new cases of prostate cancer in 2020, and estimates say that 12% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lives. 

Find out what prostate cancer is and how doctors diagnose and treat it today.

Prostate cancer is when the damaged cell division and development associated with cancer occurs in the prostate, which is responsible for producing some of the fluid that makes up semen. 

Most types of prostate cancer, adenocarcinoma, start in the gland cells, which produce semen. While these are common, rarer types include small cell carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, and sarcoma.

When cancer first sets in, it may not have any symptoms. As it progresses, you might develop some or all of the following signs:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Blood in your semen
• Blood in your urine
• Needing to urinate a lot, especially in the night
• Weak urine stream
• Difficulty or inability urinating
• Lower back and thigh pain
• Weak or numb legs or feet

Doctors believe there is no single cause for cancer. Genetics has a part to play in cancer development, as does diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Exposure to certain chemicals, radiation, and tobacco products are other possible causes of cancer.

There are several risk factors involved in developing cancer. Some of these factors are:

• Age
• Radiation exposure
• Obesity
• Excess sunlight exposure
• Immunosuppression
• Diet
• Hormones
• Substances that are known to cause cancer (carcinogens)
• Chronic inflammation
• Alcohol

Doctors use several tests to determine if you have prostate cancer. Most people with prostate cancer are initially identified by a digital rectal exam or by a blood test that screens for prostate-specific antigens (PSA).

If doctors find a high PSA level or notice something during the rectal exam, they will order a biopsy to test a tissue sample. They will usually gather a tissue sample with a needle that they insert into the prostate. Doctors also use imaging such as an ultrasound or MRI to look at the prostate.

A lab analyzes the samples and sends the results to your doctor. They will tell you whether you tested positive, negative, or suspicious — which means something was there, but not cancer.

If you’ve received a diagnosis for prostate cancer, the doctors have several options to treat it. Doctors choose from the following treatments:

• Watchful waiting
• Radiation therapy
• Hormone therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Bisphosphonate therapy

The type of treatment your doctor decides upon depends on the stage of cancer you are in. Your best treatment options for a less aggressive stage (stage one or two) might be just waiting, while stage four might require all methods.

Medications

Your doctor might prescribe one of the many available medications for your prostate cancer, depending on their diagnosis. There are around 24 medications your doctor can choose from. A few of them are:

• Apalutamide
• Bicalutamide
• Cabazitaxel
• Bicalutamide (Casodex)
• Darolutamide
• Degarelix
• Docetaxel
• Leuprolide acetate (Eligard)
• Enzalutamide
• Apalutamide (Erleada)
• Flutamide

Alternative treatments

Researchers are continuously coming up with and testing new types of treatment for prostate cancer. Some of the newer treatments are:

• Cryosurgery
• Proton beam radiation therapy
• Photodynamic therapy
• High-intensity-focused ultrasound therapy

Surgery

If necessary, a doctor can decide to remove your entire prostate gland, called a prostatectomy. They might remove some tissue that surrounds it for safe measure. 

A few of the types of surgeries a doctor can perform are robot-assisted radical prostatectomy or open radical prostatectomy. Both allow removal of the prostate through the lower abdomen.

Depending on your course of treatments, there are possible side effects. Talk to your doctor to weigh the risks against the severity of your prostate cancer. Chemotherapy or radiation can damage normal cells and cause side effects like:

• Hair loss
• Mouth sores
• Vomiting

If you get surgery, you could develop trouble controlling your urine, or incontinence. It may take you a little time to get back bladder control, but incontinence will happen less often with time. Talk with your doctor about special exercises to help stop the problem completely.

Prostate cancer surgery can also often lead to erectile dysfunction. If possible, try to get nerve-sparing surgery to avoid this, but it will not always be a choice.

Many people also feel mentally worn down while managing their cancer, leading to high stress and depression. The best way to try to avoid this is to talk with your family and friends about how you’re feeling at every step of the way and establish a support group to help you cope. A counselor can also help you with this.