Prostate Cancer Treatment

Before starting a prostate cancer treatment it is important to know the stage of the disease and the tumor’s size. This information helps the physician in establishing the right form of therapy and prognosis.

Age and genetics are between the primary factors of this form of cancer but nobody can establish the exact causes. Unfortunately there are no symptoms in the early stages of prostate cancer and most men find out about it through a routine consultation or check-up.

Some of the symptoms (when they exist) are:

• The patient needs to urinate more often (also during the night);

• Difficulties to start urinating;

• Pain or mild pain at urination;

• Blood presence in urine;

• Difficulties in achieving or maintaining an ejaculation.

Prostate cancer usually affects men over the age of 50. A prostate cancer treatment is recommended for any patient that was diagnosed with cancer or with cancer tissue detected. The form of therapy will be different depending on the diagnosis.

Learn more about Prostate Cancer Treatment in Turkey by comparing costs and reviewing the clinics and doctors.

Men who don’t suffer from any form of prostate cancer and with no cancer tissue or symptoms detected are not suitable for this treatment.

How many days I will spend in the hospital after the surgery? 

You will spend a minimum of 1 day in the hospital to monitor your recovery. 

There are risks associated with every cancer treatment that involves radiation, chemotherapy or surgery. Before starting any procedure, it is crucial that the tumor is graded properly by the pathologist because this will determine what type of treatment should be recommended.

A very important aspect of preparation is proper hydration. It is recommended to drink around 1, 5 liters of water per day before and during the treatment.

The preparation process depends on the form of therapy chosen for the patient. For instance, chemotherapy can affect a prostate cancer patient’s long term fertility. The doctor should be able to provide with all the necessary advice regarding the preparation. Some patients may need psychological therapy to help them in the process.

Treatments are applied depending on the stage of the disease. For early-stage prostate cancer (when the tumor is small and localized) there are several prostate cancer treatment options:

• Radical prostatectomy – when the prostate is surgically completely removed;

• Conformal radiotherapy – the radiations are only applied on the organ that needs treatment, minimizing the exposure of healthy tissue to radiation;

• Watchful waiting or active surveillance – involves the constant monitoring of PSA blood levels;

• Brachytherapy – the prostate will be treated with radioactive seeds.

For more advanced stages of prostate cancer, the recommended treatments may be:

• Combination of radiotherapy and hormone therapy – requires a daily radiotherapy treatment for a period that can go up to 8 weeks;

• Hormone therapy – it helps to slow down and even completely stop the cancer cells from growing;

• Radical prostatectomy – when the prostate is surgically completely removed;

• Traditional surgery – it requires a long hospital stay and a recovery period that can go up to 3 months;

• Radioactive injections – an injection with a radioactive substance that targets the tumor and can extend the life of a prostate cancer patient.

The recovery period also depends on the type of prostate cancer treatment. The doctor should be able to provide this information taking into consideration the treatment’s results that may be different from patient to patient.

Possible risks and complications of prostate cancer treatments are:

• Incontinence;

• Long-term infertility;

• Metastasis;

• Metabolic factors;

• Erectile dysfunction.

• Long-term fertility is affected

• Stress

• Incontinence

The survival rates of prostate cancer are relative but there is a very high percentage of men diagnosed with common types of prostate cancer who will survive more than 5 years after the diagnosis.

Certain cancer treatments and surgeries can affect a male’s long term fertility and it is very important for them to be advised on the benefits of sperm banking.

It is also crucial to know that if the disease is detected in early stages, the patients can beneficiate from curative treatments.

Can I have a sex life after prostate cancer treatment?

Erectile dysfunction after prostate removal is very possible but during the surgery, the doctors will try to preserve the sexual function. The results are also affected by factors like age, health condition and the patient’s ability to have an erection before the treatment.

How can I prevent prostate cancer?

You can improve your chances by maintaining a healthy diet and a healthy weight.

How long is the recovery period?

Depending on the patient’s overall health and organism, treatment, and cancer’s stage it can last between a couple of weeks up to a couple of months.