Prostate cancer treatment options
There are various ways to treat prostate cancer.
With a better understanding of the ways in which prostate cancer is treated, you may feel more empowered. Maintain an active role in your treatment plan by working closely with your healthcare team.
Before choosing a prostate cancer treatment, your doctor will consider your age, health, and the stage and grade of your disease, as well as your PSA levels and overall current medical condition.
Common management options for prostate cancer, depending on the stage of the cancer, include:
Sometimes, the best treatment is waiting—watchfully.
For prostate cancer that’s localized, meaning it’s only in the prostate, sometimes
doctors will recommend “watchful waiting” instead of surgery or another treatment.
A localized prostate cancer may advance so slowly that it is unlikely to cause men—especially
older men—many problems during their lifetimes.
In addition to prostate cancers that are still at an early stage, watchful waiting
is also sometimes recommended for small, slow-growing cancers, and for much older
men or for men with serious medical conditions who may not handle treatment very
well.
Some men who opt for watchful waiting seek no active treatment unless they start
to have symptoms. They do, however, often schedule regular medical checkups—and
they report any new symptoms to their healthcare team right away.
Learn more about managing side effects.
Many prostate cancer treatments, especially surgery to remove part or all of the
prostate, can affect your lifestyle in many ways. Everyone’s experience
of cancer is different, but there are a few general concerns that many men being
treated for prostate cancer share.
More about managing the side effects of
prostate cancer treatment
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