A diagnosis of prostate cancer is an emotional and challenging time. It’s also an important time to learn about the treatment options. There are more treatment choices than ever before, which can help you live longer and improve your quality of life. You should discuss these treatment options with your doctor, and ask questions if anything is unclear. Your doctor will consider your goals and the possible urinary, bowel, and sexual side effects of each option when making a treatment plan for you.
The most common type of treatment for localized prostate cancer is surgery or radiation. Some doctors may also recommend hormone therapy to keep the cancer from growing, especially if it has not spread.
Radiation treatments can include external beam radiation, brachytherapy, or stereotactic body radiotherapy. These treatments use a machine to send high-energy beams at the cancer cells in the prostate gland. You lie on a table during the procedure, which usually takes about 30 minutes each day for 8 to 9 weeks.
Surgery includes a prostatectomy (removing the prostate) and sometimes lymph nodes removed around the prostate. This is done with a surgeon who specializes in treating cancer with surgery, called a surgical oncologist. It can be done as an outpatient procedure, or you may need to stay in the hospital overnight.
Your doctor can treat your prostate with a procedure called transurethral resection of the prostate, or TURP. This is done under full anesthesia, which means you are asleep. A narrow tube with a cutting device is inserted into the urethra and then into the prostate to remove cancer tissue. You may also have a TURP under full anesthesia if you have a blocked urethra, not prostate cancer.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. It can be given through a vein in your arm or in pill form, and is used in addition to other treatments, such as surgery and radiation therapy. Hormone therapy blocks the cancer’s ability to get the hormones that cause it to grow, and is often recommended for advanced prostate cancer.
There are many new treatment options being studied in clinical trials. Some of these studies are testing whether certain medicines, or combinations of different therapies, work better than others for treating prostate cancer. You may want to talk with your doctor about joining a clinical trial.
Many treatment options can come with out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-payments for medication. These costs can add up, so it’s important to understand what to expect and budget for them. Your doctor and care team will help you manage these costs. They can also suggest community resources for help with other financial concerns. You should always check with your insurance provider to find out about coverage for these expenses. For example, Medicare covers annual PSA and digital rectal exam (DRE) screenings for men over 50, and part D of your health insurance coverage may cover prostate cancer medications.
