what are the side effects for prostate cancer treatment.?
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There are several treatment modalities you may select for prostate cancer–ranging from chemotherapy to surgery. The side effects of each differ. The most widely known risks to prostate surgery are impotence and incontinence in some men.
Radiation can also lead to sterility in some men.
It would have been very helpful if you had said what stage prostate cancer you are talking about and your age since there is a tremendous difference between very early prostate cancer and metastatic disease and also the slow growing prostate cancer which is often found in elderly men.
Often with early prostate cancer that is still confined to the prostate gland the Dr may just wait and watch since often prostate cancer progresses very slowly. There are a variety of treatment options from radiation, implanted radioactive seeds, surgery, anti-androgen therapy and many more options depending on the size and location of the prostate cancer.
Here are some good web pages that discuss your various treatment options and their side effects.
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/cancer/treatment/264.html
http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/site/c.itIWK2OSG/b.1420081/k.93C6/Side_Effects.htm
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_2_1x_Prostate_Cancer_Treatment_Side_Effects_Impact_Mens_Outlook.asp
http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/news/20080319/life-quality-after-prostate-cancer
Read up at these sites and then add additional info about your age and disease staging and I will try and answer any specific questions that you might have.
all the best
It depends on the treatment you have. There is a book just out called You Can Beat Prostate Cancer written by Robert J. Marckini a prostate cancer survivor. The book tells alot about prostate cancer and then outlines all of the treatments available today… plus the Pros and cons of each…including side effects.. It is a great book and any one with prostate cancer or prostate problems should have it.. It can be purchased at Barnes and Noble and on ebay I think plus some other places.
I had Prostate Cancer in 2005 and was treated with Proton Radiation at Loma Linda Universtiy Medical Center in Loma Linda California.. Proton Radiation usually has no side effects…and has about a 90% cure rate..I personally believe it is the very best treatment available today.. It is very different from conventional radiation in that about 85-90% of the treatment energy is released exactly at the point being treated. Therefore, surrounding tissues and organs are not damaged by the radiation as in conventional radiation.. therefore one has little to no side effects. Proton Radiation basically treats only the area needing to be treated. There is a website called Proton Bob(Bob stands for brotherhood of the ballon) The website is great ..if you or any a friend or relative have Prostate cancer .. please read the website.. and especially read the Patient Testimonial section.. Every one who has ever had Prostate Cancer and was treated with Proton Radiation is completely sold on it.. and why not.. it has no side effects and as good if not better cure rate than all the other treatments..
Many doctors have been reluctant to recommend Proton Radition, they didnt know about it, considered it experimental or it was a money thing.. you dont make any money sending your patients somewhere else for treatments.. However some have started to take notice and can no longer ignore the amazing results that Loma Linda Univerty Medical Center has had with it over the last 17 years.. It is now being offered at several other hospitals and several treatment facilities are currenty under construction.. It is offered at M D Anderson in Houston( just opened last may), Mass General in Boston(Harvard) a hospital in Jacksonville florida and one in Indiana I think.. the Proton Bob website gives all the locations…
There are some really bad side effects with most of the other treatments. With Proton Radiation, it does not effect your sexual ability as most of the other treatments do. I was not sick one day during the treatments or any time after my treatments.. it was like a vacation almost.. Only side effect I had was driving on interstate 10 out in California… now that was bad!!!!Ohh my PSA is now .13 and dropping thats point one three!!!!
If you have any questions any experience with Prostate Cancer or Proton Radiation, feel free to email me, I will also be glad to visit with you on the phone about it if you or a relative or friend has Prostate Cancer.. Having Prostate cancer was not that big of thing with me especially after having Proton Radiation.. It is a good and simple cure..
Depending on the stage of cancer there are several treatment modalities: Surgery, Radiation therapy, Harmone therapy, Chemotherapy, Brachytherapy(Radio-active seed implants).
A combination of two modalities is also preffered and found beneficial in many cases.
Each treatment modality has its own own side-effect(s). Check this article on CNN which talks about quality of life studies on prostate cancer treatments.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/19/prostate.cancer.ap/
http://www.prostatecancerinfo.info/