Brachytherapy For Prostate Cancer
Published on Jun 30 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
The radiation therapy is one type of treatment that destroys the DNA of the cancerous cells, preventing them from multiplying; we categorize this method into two different medical procedures: the external therapy uses the proton beams to damage the infected tissue parts and the prostate cancer brachytherapy is done by inserting radioactive seeds, very small in size with the shape of a rice grain, in the gland and leave them there to kill the malignant tumor and to slowly decay.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, the duration of the radiation dose delivered and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
Each cancer, even if we are referring to the same type, is unique and manifests itself differently in different patients; by comparing the stages, the grades and the period of time necessary for a malignant tumor to grow, usually being four years for it to double its size, of one cancer to different other ones, we can establish the general characteristics of that particular cancer but is still difficult to guess its exact outcome.
Of course, some factors that are blamed for the development of the prostate cancer can not be avoided and these are the inherited genes, the aging process, the “male menopause” or “andropause”; the other causes are the poor diet in nutritional foods and excessive alcohol drinking and smoking.
We’ve mentioned something about the research in the cancer treatment field but it is also worth mentioning the three main sections in which this activity is oriented and that being the research of the prostate stem cells that might hold unknown possibilities for curing cancer, the analyzing of the prostate cancer invasion and spread, especially determining the mutations that might slow down the multiplication of the cancerous cells or altering their damaging behaviour and the last research being the one to predict the prostate cancer outcome, which is a very troublesome activity.
The recommended screening tests and the prostate biopsy are the most popular methods of cancer detections but they do have their series of flaws; the screenings include to examination procedures: the digital rectal exam by palpating the prostate gland after inserting a gloved finger into the rectum and by taking some blood samples to establish the levels of the free testosterone and prostate specific antigen. The normal levels are low but when the levels are high there is a high possibility for the cancer cells to be found within the gland and you should also be aware of the fact that only the malignant tumors are responsible for cancer while the benign tumors, with a correct treatment, are pretty much harmless.
The brachytherapy word comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Pierre Curie and Henri-Alexandre Danlos, after experimenting a little with the radiation method and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors; the brachytherapy used for treating the cancer was officially adopted by the medical community in 1983.
The prostate biopsy is a procedure done by extracting different tissue samples from the prostate gland and analyzing them; this method can be complemented with the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or the nomogram, combining factors such as the results of using different treatment forms such as the androgen deprivation therapy or the brachytherapy treatment for the prostate cancer, the biopsy pathology and the radiation dosage if the proton therapy would be used, the stage of the cancer, etc.
This leads us to another important step in determining the main features of the cancer and that being the staging process, done with the help of the TNM, tumor, nodes and metastatic, or the alternative, the Whitmore-Jewett systems and the grading process with the popular Gleason score.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are rectal bleeding, urinary retention, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence, painful urination or dysuria, diarrhea or constipation; these symptoms can be temporare or be permanent; the inserted radioactive seeds can travel to other surrounding areas of the prostate, sometimes being passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
The chances of survival will slowly decrease if the tumor is already locally advanced or metastatic and even if the prescribed treatment proves effective or after a period of fifteen years had already passes for the survival rates to stabilize, there possibility of cancer recurrence will always remain and sometimes the cancer can recur in more aggressive forms such as the metastases.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, the duration of the radiation dose delivered and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
Each cancer, even if we are referring to the same type, is unique and manifests itself differently in different patients; by comparing the stages, the grades and the period of time necessary for a malignant tumor to grow, usually being four years for it to double its size, of one cancer to different other ones, we can establish the general characteristics of that particular cancer but is still difficult to guess its exact outcome.
Of course, some factors that are blamed for the development of the prostate cancer can not be avoided and these are the inherited genes, the aging process, the “male menopause” or “andropause”; the other causes are the poor diet in nutritional foods and excessive alcohol drinking and smoking.
We’ve mentioned something about the research in the cancer treatment field but it is also worth mentioning the three main sections in which this activity is oriented and that being the research of the prostate stem cells that might hold unknown possibilities for curing cancer, the analyzing of the prostate cancer invasion and spread, especially determining the mutations that might slow down the multiplication of the cancerous cells or altering their damaging behaviour and the last research being the one to predict the prostate cancer outcome, which is a very troublesome activity.
The recommended screening tests and the prostate biopsy are the most popular methods of cancer detections but they do have their series of flaws; the screenings include to examination procedures: the digital rectal exam by palpating the prostate gland after inserting a gloved finger into the rectum and by taking some blood samples to establish the levels of the free testosterone and prostate specific antigen. The normal levels are low but when the levels are high there is a high possibility for the cancer cells to be found within the gland and you should also be aware of the fact that only the malignant tumors are responsible for cancer while the benign tumors, with a correct treatment, are pretty much harmless.
The brachytherapy word comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Pierre Curie and Henri-Alexandre Danlos, after experimenting a little with the radiation method and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors; the brachytherapy used for treating the cancer was officially adopted by the medical community in 1983.
The prostate biopsy is a procedure done by extracting different tissue samples from the prostate gland and analyzing them; this method can be complemented with the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or the nomogram, combining factors such as the results of using different treatment forms such as the androgen deprivation therapy or the brachytherapy treatment for the prostate cancer, the biopsy pathology and the radiation dosage if the proton therapy would be used, the stage of the cancer, etc.
This leads us to another important step in determining the main features of the cancer and that being the staging process, done with the help of the TNM, tumor, nodes and metastatic, or the alternative, the Whitmore-Jewett systems and the grading process with the popular Gleason score.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are rectal bleeding, urinary retention, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence, painful urination or dysuria, diarrhea or constipation; these symptoms can be temporare or be permanent; the inserted radioactive seeds can travel to other surrounding areas of the prostate, sometimes being passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
The chances of survival will slowly decrease if the tumor is already locally advanced or metastatic and even if the prescribed treatment proves effective or after a period of fifteen years had already passes for the survival rates to stabilize, there possibility of cancer recurrence will always remain and sometimes the cancer can recur in more aggressive forms such as the metastases.
Prostate Cancer Brachytherapy
Published on Jun 30 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
Each cancer, even if we are referring to the same type, is unique and manifests itself differently in different patients; by comparing the stages, the grades and the period of time necessary for a malignant tumor to grow, usually being four years for it to double its size, of one cancer to different other ones, we can establish the general characteristics of that particular cancer but is still difficult to guess its exact outcome.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
Of course, some factors that are blamed for the development of the prostate cancer can not be avoided and these are the inherited genes from other members of the family diagnosed with cancer, not matter the type, the aging process which leads to significant changes not only on the outside, meaning the physical appearance, but also on the inside when aged men often reporting symptoms related to the so-called “male menopause” or “andropause”; the other causes are the poor diet in nutritional foods and excessive alcohol drinking and even smoking that affects also the non-smokers, as well as the conditions of the living environment.
We’ve mentioned something about the research in the cancer treatment field but it is also worth mentioning the three main sections in which this activity is oriented and that being the research of the prostate stem cells that might hold unknown possibilities for curing cancer, the analyzing of the prostate cancer invasion and spread, especially determining the mutations that might slow down the multiplication of the cancerous cells or altering their damaging behaviour and the last research being the one to predict the prostate cancer outcome, which is a very troublesome activity.
The recommended screening tests and the prostate biopsy are the most popular methods of cancer detections but they do have their series of flaws; the screenings include to examination procedures: the digital rectal exam by palpating the prostate gland after inserting a gloved finger into the rectum and by taking some blood samples to establish the levels of the free testosterone and prostate specific antigen. The normal levels are low but when the levels are high there is a high possibility for the cancer cells to be found within the gland and you should also be aware of the fact that only the malignant tumors are responsible for cancer while the benign tumors, with a correct treatment, are pretty much harmless.
The prostate biopsy is a procedure done by extracting different tissue samples from the prostate gland and analyzing them; this method can be complemented with the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or the nomogram, combining factors such as the results of using different treatment forms such as the androgen deprivation therapy or the brachytherapy treatment for the prostate cancer, the biopsy pathology and the radiation dosage if the proton therapy would be used, the stage of the cancer, etc.
This leads us to another important step in determining the main features of the cancer and that being the staging process, done with the help of the TNM, tumor, nodes and metastatic, or the alternative, the Whitmore-Jewett systems and the grading process with the popular Gleason score.
The radiation therapy is one type of treatment that destroys the DNA of the cancerous cells, preventing them from multiplying; we categorize this method into two different medical procedures: the external therapy uses the proton beams to damage the infected tissue parts and the prostate cancer brachytherapy is done by inserting radioactive seeds, very small in size with the shape of a rice grain, in the gland and leave them there to kill the malignant tumor and to slowly decay.
The brachytherapy word comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Pierre Curie and Henri-Alexandre Danlos, after experimenting a little with the radiation method and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors; the brachytherapy used for treating the cancer was officially adopted by the medical community in 1983.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, the duration of the radiation dose delivered and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are rectal bleeding, urinary retention, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence, painful urination or dysuria, diarrhea or constipation; these symptoms can be temporare or be permanent; the inserted radioactive seeds can travel to other surrounding areas of the prostate, sometimes being passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
Of course, some factors that are blamed for the development of the prostate cancer can not be avoided and these are the inherited genes from other members of the family diagnosed with cancer, not matter the type, the aging process which leads to significant changes not only on the outside, meaning the physical appearance, but also on the inside when aged men often reporting symptoms related to the so-called “male menopause” or “andropause”; the other causes are the poor diet in nutritional foods and excessive alcohol drinking and even smoking that affects also the non-smokers, as well as the conditions of the living environment.
We’ve mentioned something about the research in the cancer treatment field but it is also worth mentioning the three main sections in which this activity is oriented and that being the research of the prostate stem cells that might hold unknown possibilities for curing cancer, the analyzing of the prostate cancer invasion and spread, especially determining the mutations that might slow down the multiplication of the cancerous cells or altering their damaging behaviour and the last research being the one to predict the prostate cancer outcome, which is a very troublesome activity.
The recommended screening tests and the prostate biopsy are the most popular methods of cancer detections but they do have their series of flaws; the screenings include to examination procedures: the digital rectal exam by palpating the prostate gland after inserting a gloved finger into the rectum and by taking some blood samples to establish the levels of the free testosterone and prostate specific antigen. The normal levels are low but when the levels are high there is a high possibility for the cancer cells to be found within the gland and you should also be aware of the fact that only the malignant tumors are responsible for cancer while the benign tumors, with a correct treatment, are pretty much harmless.
The prostate biopsy is a procedure done by extracting different tissue samples from the prostate gland and analyzing them; this method can be complemented with the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or the nomogram, combining factors such as the results of using different treatment forms such as the androgen deprivation therapy or the brachytherapy treatment for the prostate cancer, the biopsy pathology and the radiation dosage if the proton therapy would be used, the stage of the cancer, etc.
This leads us to another important step in determining the main features of the cancer and that being the staging process, done with the help of the TNM, tumor, nodes and metastatic, or the alternative, the Whitmore-Jewett systems and the grading process with the popular Gleason score.
The radiation therapy is one type of treatment that destroys the DNA of the cancerous cells, preventing them from multiplying; we categorize this method into two different medical procedures: the external therapy uses the proton beams to damage the infected tissue parts and the prostate cancer brachytherapy is done by inserting radioactive seeds, very small in size with the shape of a rice grain, in the gland and leave them there to kill the malignant tumor and to slowly decay.
The brachytherapy word comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Pierre Curie and Henri-Alexandre Danlos, after experimenting a little with the radiation method and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors; the brachytherapy used for treating the cancer was officially adopted by the medical community in 1983.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, the duration of the radiation dose delivered and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are rectal bleeding, urinary retention, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence, painful urination or dysuria, diarrhea or constipation; these symptoms can be temporare or be permanent; the inserted radioactive seeds can travel to other surrounding areas of the prostate, sometimes being passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
Brachytherapy Prostate Cancer Treatment
Published on Jun 29 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
The cancer can affect certain parts of the body such as the lungs or the prostate gland; this gland is specific to the male reproductive system, located in the region of the genitals and responsible with the making of the seminal fluid. It is important to know that any hormone problems can gravely affect the normal functions of the prostate, not to mention the whole organism so after the age of forty, prevention is highly recommended.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
Usually for the advanced cancer treatments such as the hormone therapy or the radiation treatment for the prostate cancer, either being the brachytherapy method or the external proton beam radiation procedure, are recommended; for the organ-confined cancer the best treatment will have to be surgery, also known as prostatectomy, complemented with the used of the alternative treatment or powerful drugs.
The radiation treatment has the advantage of damaging the internal structures of the cancerous cells, especially its DNA, preventing their multiplication and in its early history this medical procedures consisted in the use of intraprostatic radium implants.
Usually the cancer of prostate, in its early stages, has no early symptoms and even if some signs similar with the ones associated with cancer are noticed we can not exactly say that this disease is responsible for them, well, not after the results of the screening tests. These tests are recommended to be done at regular periods of time, especially after the age of forty and after interpreting the obtained results the medical specialists will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not. If any abnormality is indicated by the screenings than the prostate biopsy is necessary to make a correct diagnose.
The fight against deadly diseases such as cancer seems to be a futile effort for most of us and apparently, after all these years of continuous research studies no radical changes or discoveries in the treatment field have been announced. It’s a pessimistic point of view because those studies are still being conducted and even if not many of the important things related to cancer are well known, the basic information allowed the discovery of various treatments such as the radiation therapy. The radiation treatment is not effective in all situations so it could be replaced by the other remaining treatment alternatives.
The determined features are very important, especially for prescribing the correct form of treatment. The chances of survival will increase at ninety eight percent and for a period of at least five years if the cancer is diagnosed in the early stage and if the patient responds well to the treatment, this disease can even be cured.
The radiation treatment basically consists of two different methods of using the radiation benefits: the internal radiation, known as brachytherapy, is done by inserting radioactive seeds, the size of a grain of rice, into the infected gland and leave them there to decay and slowly kill the cancer cells while the external therapy uses the radiation beams, similar in effect with the x-rays, to damage the infected tissue parts.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the duration of the radiation dose delivered so that the tumor can be treated, being temporary of permanent, the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, being low-rate, medium or high-dose rate and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
The brachytherapy name comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Henri-Alexandre Danlos and Pierre Curie after doing a little experiment and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors. In the United States, more precisely at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital in New York, Robert Abbe developed new medical application techniques involving the brachytherapy treatment for the cancer, which were officially adopted by the medical community only in 1983.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are urinary retention, painful urination or dysuria, rectal bleeding, diarrhea or constipation, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence; these symptoms can last temporarily or be permanent. In the internal beam radiation case the inserted radioactive seeds can travel into the urethra and bladder, being eventually passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
Usually for the advanced cancer treatments such as the hormone therapy or the radiation treatment for the prostate cancer, either being the brachytherapy method or the external proton beam radiation procedure, are recommended; for the organ-confined cancer the best treatment will have to be surgery, also known as prostatectomy, complemented with the used of the alternative treatment or powerful drugs.
The radiation treatment has the advantage of damaging the internal structures of the cancerous cells, especially its DNA, preventing their multiplication and in its early history this medical procedures consisted in the use of intraprostatic radium implants.
Usually the cancer of prostate, in its early stages, has no early symptoms and even if some signs similar with the ones associated with cancer are noticed we can not exactly say that this disease is responsible for them, well, not after the results of the screening tests. These tests are recommended to be done at regular periods of time, especially after the age of forty and after interpreting the obtained results the medical specialists will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not. If any abnormality is indicated by the screenings than the prostate biopsy is necessary to make a correct diagnose.
The fight against deadly diseases such as cancer seems to be a futile effort for most of us and apparently, after all these years of continuous research studies no radical changes or discoveries in the treatment field have been announced. It’s a pessimistic point of view because those studies are still being conducted and even if not many of the important things related to cancer are well known, the basic information allowed the discovery of various treatments such as the radiation therapy. The radiation treatment is not effective in all situations so it could be replaced by the other remaining treatment alternatives.
The determined features are very important, especially for prescribing the correct form of treatment. The chances of survival will increase at ninety eight percent and for a period of at least five years if the cancer is diagnosed in the early stage and if the patient responds well to the treatment, this disease can even be cured.
The radiation treatment basically consists of two different methods of using the radiation benefits: the internal radiation, known as brachytherapy, is done by inserting radioactive seeds, the size of a grain of rice, into the infected gland and leave them there to decay and slowly kill the cancer cells while the external therapy uses the radiation beams, similar in effect with the x-rays, to damage the infected tissue parts.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the duration of the radiation dose delivered so that the tumor can be treated, being temporary of permanent, the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, being low-rate, medium or high-dose rate and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
The brachytherapy name comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Henri-Alexandre Danlos and Pierre Curie after doing a little experiment and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors. In the United States, more precisely at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital in New York, Robert Abbe developed new medical application techniques involving the brachytherapy treatment for the cancer, which were officially adopted by the medical community only in 1983.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are urinary retention, painful urination or dysuria, rectal bleeding, diarrhea or constipation, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence; these symptoms can last temporarily or be permanent. In the internal beam radiation case the inserted radioactive seeds can travel into the urethra and bladder, being eventually passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
Brachytherapy Cancer Prostate Treatment
Published on Jun 29 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
The fight against deadly diseases such as cancer seems to be a futile effort for most of us and apparently, after all these years of continuous research studies no radical changes or discoveries in the treatment field have been announced. It’s a pessimistic point of view because those studies are still being conducted and even if not many of the important things related to cancer are well known, the basic information allowed the discovery of various treatments such as the radiation therapy.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The cancer can affect certain parts of the body such as the lungs or the prostate gland; this gland is specific to the male reproductive system, located in the region of the genitals and responsible with the making of the seminal fluid. It is important to know that any hormone problems can gravely affect the normal functions of the prostate, not to mention the whole organism so after the age of forty, prevention is highly recommended.
Usually the cancer of prostate, in its early stages, has no early symptoms and even if some signs similar with the ones associated with cancer are noticed we can not exactly say that this disease is responsible for them, well, not after the results of the screening tests. These tests are recommended to be done at regular periods of time, especially after the age of forty and after interpreting the obtained results the medical specialists will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not. If any abnormality is indicated by the screenings than the prostate biopsy is necessary to make a correct diagnose.
The determined features are very important, especially for prescribing the correct form of treatment. The chances of survival will increase at ninety eight percent and for a period of at least five years if the cancer is diagnosed in the early stage and if the patient responds well to the treatment, this disease can even be cured.
Usually for the advanced cancer treatments such as the hormone therapy or the radiation treatment for the prostate cancer, either being the brachytherapy method or the external proton beam radiation procedure, are recommended; for the organ-confined cancer the best treatment will have to be surgery, also known as prostatectomy, complemented with the used of the alternative treatment or powerful drugs.
The radiation treatment has the advantage of damaging the internal structures of the cancerous cells, especially its DNA, preventing their multiplication and in its early history this medical procedures consisted in the use of intraprostatic radium implants.
The radiation treatment basically consists of two different methods of using the radiation benefits: the internal radiation, known as brachytherapy, is done by inserting radioactive seeds, the size of a grain of rice, into the infected gland and leave them there to decay and slowly kill the cancer cells while the external therapy uses the radiation beams, similar in effect with the x-rays, to damage the infected tissue parts.
The brachytherapy name comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Henri-Alexandre Danlos and Pierre Curie after doing a little experiment and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors.
In the United States, more precisely at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital in New York, Robert Abbe developed new medical application techniques involving the brachytherapy treatment for the cancer, which were officially adopted by the medical community only in 1983.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the duration of the radiation dose delivered so that the tumor can be treated, being temporary of permanent, the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, being low-rate, medium or high-dose rate and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are urinary retention, painful urination or dysuria, rectal bleeding, diarrhea or constipation, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence; these symptoms can last temporarily or be permanent. In the internal beam radiation case the inserted radioactive seeds can travel into the urethra and bladder, being eventually passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
The radiation treatment is not effective in all situations so it could be replaced by the other remaining treatment alternative; the most important thing is to always ask for more details about each treatment therapy and choose the right one for your type of cancer, not being forgetful about the doctors’ advice.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The cancer can affect certain parts of the body such as the lungs or the prostate gland; this gland is specific to the male reproductive system, located in the region of the genitals and responsible with the making of the seminal fluid. It is important to know that any hormone problems can gravely affect the normal functions of the prostate, not to mention the whole organism so after the age of forty, prevention is highly recommended.
Usually the cancer of prostate, in its early stages, has no early symptoms and even if some signs similar with the ones associated with cancer are noticed we can not exactly say that this disease is responsible for them, well, not after the results of the screening tests. These tests are recommended to be done at regular periods of time, especially after the age of forty and after interpreting the obtained results the medical specialists will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not. If any abnormality is indicated by the screenings than the prostate biopsy is necessary to make a correct diagnose.
The determined features are very important, especially for prescribing the correct form of treatment. The chances of survival will increase at ninety eight percent and for a period of at least five years if the cancer is diagnosed in the early stage and if the patient responds well to the treatment, this disease can even be cured.
Usually for the advanced cancer treatments such as the hormone therapy or the radiation treatment for the prostate cancer, either being the brachytherapy method or the external proton beam radiation procedure, are recommended; for the organ-confined cancer the best treatment will have to be surgery, also known as prostatectomy, complemented with the used of the alternative treatment or powerful drugs.
The radiation treatment has the advantage of damaging the internal structures of the cancerous cells, especially its DNA, preventing their multiplication and in its early history this medical procedures consisted in the use of intraprostatic radium implants.
The radiation treatment basically consists of two different methods of using the radiation benefits: the internal radiation, known as brachytherapy, is done by inserting radioactive seeds, the size of a grain of rice, into the infected gland and leave them there to decay and slowly kill the cancer cells while the external therapy uses the radiation beams, similar in effect with the x-rays, to damage the infected tissue parts.
The brachytherapy name comes from the greek word “brachy”, translated as “short-distanced”, and is a procedure discovered in the early 1900’s by Henri-Alexandre Danlos and Pierre Curie after doing a little experiment and obtaining results such as the shrinkage of the tumors.
In the United States, more precisely at St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital in New York, Robert Abbe developed new medical application techniques involving the brachytherapy treatment for the cancer, which were officially adopted by the medical community only in 1983.
The brachytherapy method of treatment for the prostate cancer is categorized depending on the duration of the radiation dose delivered so that the tumor can be treated, being temporary of permanent, the rate or intensity of the radiation dose, being low-rate, medium or high-dose rate and the placement of the radiation sources on the infected area.
The common side-effects of brachytherapy are urinary retention, painful urination or dysuria, rectal bleeding, diarrhea or constipation, urinary incontinent and sometimes impotence; these symptoms can last temporarily or be permanent. In the internal beam radiation case the inserted radioactive seeds can travel into the urethra and bladder, being eventually passed in the urine or the seminal liquid.
The radiation treatment is not effective in all situations so it could be replaced by the other remaining treatment alternative; the most important thing is to always ask for more details about each treatment therapy and choose the right one for your type of cancer, not being forgetful about the doctors’ advice.
Side Effects Of Prostate Cancer Radiation Treatments
Published on Jun 28 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
<p>Cancer is one of those ruthless diseases that develop no matter the age and the general health of a patient though it is often recommended to lead a healthy life, especially after a certain age. This healthy life style can be achieved by having plenty of exercises daily and avoiding the poor alimentation in nutritional foods and bad habits such as excessive smoking and alcohol drinking.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The aging process is not something that you can prevent and it is well known the fact that many hormonal problems are caused by it. And since out main interest is the prostate cancer, which is a frequent type of cancer, having as main causes the factors mentioned before but also the genetic inheritance and race. African-American men are more exposed in developing a prostate cancer but this disease can also be inherited, even if in the family records the prostate cancer medical history does not exist.
The prognosis for the prostate <a href="http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/radiation-therapy">cancer outcome</a> can be very difficult because each type of cancer, in fact, each cancer is unique and its progression depends on the general health of that particular person diagnosed with it; in the first stage the cancer cells appear only in the infected gland, with a slow growth of almost four years for the tumor to double its size, but eventually reaching outside the prostate capsule, the cancer becoming locally advanced and evolving into more aggressive forms such as the metastases in some cases.
There are no early symptoms to make the cancer noticeable at an early stage and even if some unusual symptoms are reported, such as frequent urination or pain when ejaculating, there is also the possibility for them not to be related with the existence of a malignant tumor.
Only the malignant tumors are responsible for the apparition of cancer but the benign tumors are potentially dangerous when they are not treated and eventually evolve into more aggressive forms; usually the enlargement of the prostate is caused by the benign prostatic hyperplasia or some other hormonal problems, but if without treatment, these medical conditions can evolve into more aggressive forms.
The screenings are basically two examinational procedures: the digital rectal method done by palpating the prostate gland with a gloved finger inserted into the rectum to feel any abnormalities such as lumps or hardness and the blood samples taken to establish the normal or abnormal levels of the prostate specific antigen, the abnormal levels indicating a health problem. By interpreting the obtained results, the medical specialist will decide to continue or not the medical examination with the prostate biopsy, which is the best method of cancer detection, sometimes complemented with new ones such as the nomogram, the prostate mapping and the radionuclide bone scans or the coaxial tomography.
These medical investigation procedures are also useful in determining the characteristics of a cancer, if it is diagnosed; the staging and grading process are the last steps after prescribing one certain form of treatment, either being surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, cryotherapy or the <strong>prostate cancer radiation treatment, having its own set of potential life threatening side-effects. </strong>
The medical research studies have concluded that in comparison to treatment alternatives such as prostatectomy, androgen deprivation therapy, cryotherapy or chemotherapy, the <strong>side effects of the radiotherapy</strong> are less health damaging but in some cases, the commonly reported incontinence and impotence can be permanent.
The <a href="http://i-prostatecancer.com/cure-rate-score-for-prostate-cancer/">radiation method</a>, popular today in treating diseases similar to the prostate cancer, was discovered back in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century and consisted in intraprostatic radium implants which were replaced soon afterwards with the external beam radiation; the radiotherapy has the advantage of damaging the DNA of the cancerous cells and stop their growth and multiplication.
The radiation therapy involves two types of procedures: the external proton beam radiation and the brachytherapy or the internal beam radiation which uses radioactive seeds, small in size, inserted into the infected gland and left there to decay. Both external and internal <strong>radiation treatments have their side-effects</strong>, but the chances of damaging the healthy tissues surrounding the prostate gland are less frequent if the radioactive seeds are directly inserted through a needle in the prostate. The external radiation must be performed in strict conditions by the medical experts because an incorrect radiation dose might endanger the general health of the patient.
You can find more details about the possible <strong>side-effects of the prostate cancer radiation treatment </strong>on specialized prostate cancer internet sites but the best advice is to seek for a doctor’s counseling before actually deciding what type of treatment you would like to follow.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The aging process is not something that you can prevent and it is well known the fact that many hormonal problems are caused by it. And since out main interest is the prostate cancer, which is a frequent type of cancer, having as main causes the factors mentioned before but also the genetic inheritance and race. African-American men are more exposed in developing a prostate cancer but this disease can also be inherited, even if in the family records the prostate cancer medical history does not exist.
The prognosis for the prostate <a href="http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/radiation-therapy">cancer outcome</a> can be very difficult because each type of cancer, in fact, each cancer is unique and its progression depends on the general health of that particular person diagnosed with it; in the first stage the cancer cells appear only in the infected gland, with a slow growth of almost four years for the tumor to double its size, but eventually reaching outside the prostate capsule, the cancer becoming locally advanced and evolving into more aggressive forms such as the metastases in some cases.
There are no early symptoms to make the cancer noticeable at an early stage and even if some unusual symptoms are reported, such as frequent urination or pain when ejaculating, there is also the possibility for them not to be related with the existence of a malignant tumor.
Only the malignant tumors are responsible for the apparition of cancer but the benign tumors are potentially dangerous when they are not treated and eventually evolve into more aggressive forms; usually the enlargement of the prostate is caused by the benign prostatic hyperplasia or some other hormonal problems, but if without treatment, these medical conditions can evolve into more aggressive forms.
The screenings are basically two examinational procedures: the digital rectal method done by palpating the prostate gland with a gloved finger inserted into the rectum to feel any abnormalities such as lumps or hardness and the blood samples taken to establish the normal or abnormal levels of the prostate specific antigen, the abnormal levels indicating a health problem. By interpreting the obtained results, the medical specialist will decide to continue or not the medical examination with the prostate biopsy, which is the best method of cancer detection, sometimes complemented with new ones such as the nomogram, the prostate mapping and the radionuclide bone scans or the coaxial tomography.
These medical investigation procedures are also useful in determining the characteristics of a cancer, if it is diagnosed; the staging and grading process are the last steps after prescribing one certain form of treatment, either being surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, cryotherapy or the <strong>prostate cancer radiation treatment, having its own set of potential life threatening side-effects. </strong>
The medical research studies have concluded that in comparison to treatment alternatives such as prostatectomy, androgen deprivation therapy, cryotherapy or chemotherapy, the <strong>side effects of the radiotherapy</strong> are less health damaging but in some cases, the commonly reported incontinence and impotence can be permanent.
The <a href="http://i-prostatecancer.com/cure-rate-score-for-prostate-cancer/">radiation method</a>, popular today in treating diseases similar to the prostate cancer, was discovered back in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century and consisted in intraprostatic radium implants which were replaced soon afterwards with the external beam radiation; the radiotherapy has the advantage of damaging the DNA of the cancerous cells and stop their growth and multiplication.
The radiation therapy involves two types of procedures: the external proton beam radiation and the brachytherapy or the internal beam radiation which uses radioactive seeds, small in size, inserted into the infected gland and left there to decay. Both external and internal <strong>radiation treatments have their side-effects</strong>, but the chances of damaging the healthy tissues surrounding the prostate gland are less frequent if the radioactive seeds are directly inserted through a needle in the prostate. The external radiation must be performed in strict conditions by the medical experts because an incorrect radiation dose might endanger the general health of the patient.
You can find more details about the possible <strong>side-effects of the prostate cancer radiation treatment </strong>on specialized prostate cancer internet sites but the best advice is to seek for a doctor’s counseling before actually deciding what type of treatment you would like to follow.
Radiation Therapy For Prostate Cancer
Published on Jun 28 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
<p>The radiation method, popular today in treating diseases similar to the prostate cancer, was discovered back in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century and consisted in intraprostatic radium implants which were replaced soon afterwards with the external beam radiation; the radiotherapy has the advantage of damaging the DNA of the cancerous cells and stop their growth and multiplication.
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The radiation therapy involves two types of procedures: the external proton beam radiation and the brachytherapy or the internal beam radiation which uses radioactive seeds, small in size, inserted into the infected gland and left there to decay.
Both external and internal<a href="http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=pros_cancer"> </a><strong><a href="http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=pros_cancer">radiation therapies </a>used in treating the prostate cancer </strong>have their side-effects, but the chances of damaging the healthy tissues surrounding the prostate gland are less frequent if the radioactive seeds are directly inserted through a needle in the prostate. The external radiation must be performed in strict conditions by the medical experts because an incorrect radiation dose might endanger the general health of the patient.
Cancer is one of those ruthless diseases that develop no matter the age and the general health of a patient though it is often recommended to lead a healthy life, especially after a certain age. This healthy life style can be achieved by having plenty of exercises daily and avoiding the poor alimentation in nutritional foods and bad habits such as excessive smoking and alcohol drinking. The aging process is not something that you can prevent and it is well known the fact that many hormonal problems are caused by it.
And since out main interest is the prostate cancer, which is a frequent type of cancer, having as main causes the factors mentioned before but also the genetic inheritance and race. African-American men are more exposed in developing a prostate cancer but this disease can also be inherited, even if in the family records the prostate cancer medical history does not exist.
There are no early symptoms to make the cancer noticeable at an early stage and even if some unusual symptoms are reported, such as frequent urination or pain when ejaculating, there is also the possibility for them not to be related with the existence of a malignant tumor.
Only the malignant tumors are responsible for the apparition of cancer but the benign tumors are potentially dangerous when they are not treated and eventually evolve into more aggressive forms; usually the enlargement of the prostate is caused by the benign prostatic hyperplasia or some other hormonal problems, but if without treatment, these medical conditions can evolve into more aggressive forms.
The <a href="http://i-prostatecancer.com/information-on-prostate-cancer/">screenings </a>are basically two examinational procedures: the digital rectal method done by palpating the prostate gland with a gloved finger inserted into the rectum to feel any abnormalities such as lumps or hardness and the blood samples taken to establish the normal or abnormal levels of the prostate specific antigen, the abnormal levels indicating a health problem.
By interpreting the obtained results, the medical specialist will decide to continue or not the medical examination with the prostate biopsy, which is the best method of cancer detection, sometimes complemented with new ones such as the nomogram, the prostate mapping and the radionuclide bone scans or the coaxial tomography.
These medical investigation procedures are also useful in determining the characteristics of a cancer, if it is diagnosed; the staging and grading process are the last steps after prescribing one certain form of treatment, either being surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, cryotherapy or the <strong>prostate cancer radiation treatment.</strong>
The medical research studies have concluded that in comparison to treatment alternatives such as prostatectomy, androgen deprivation therapy, cryotherapy or chemotherapy, the <strong>side effects of the radiotherapy</strong> are less health damaging but in some cases, the commonly reported incontinence and impotence can be permanent.
The prognosis for the prostate cancer outcome can be very difficult because each type of cancer, in fact, each cancer is unique and its progression depends on the general health of that particular person diagnosed with it; in the first stage the cancer cells appear only in the infected gland, with a slow growth of almost four years for the tumor to double its size, but eventually reaching outside the prostate capsule, the cancer becoming locally advanced and evolving into more aggressive forms such as the metastases in some cases.
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<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The radiation therapy involves two types of procedures: the external proton beam radiation and the brachytherapy or the internal beam radiation which uses radioactive seeds, small in size, inserted into the infected gland and left there to decay.
Both external and internal<a href="http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=pros_cancer"> </a><strong><a href="http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=pros_cancer">radiation therapies </a>used in treating the prostate cancer </strong>have their side-effects, but the chances of damaging the healthy tissues surrounding the prostate gland are less frequent if the radioactive seeds are directly inserted through a needle in the prostate. The external radiation must be performed in strict conditions by the medical experts because an incorrect radiation dose might endanger the general health of the patient.
Cancer is one of those ruthless diseases that develop no matter the age and the general health of a patient though it is often recommended to lead a healthy life, especially after a certain age. This healthy life style can be achieved by having plenty of exercises daily and avoiding the poor alimentation in nutritional foods and bad habits such as excessive smoking and alcohol drinking. The aging process is not something that you can prevent and it is well known the fact that many hormonal problems are caused by it.
And since out main interest is the prostate cancer, which is a frequent type of cancer, having as main causes the factors mentioned before but also the genetic inheritance and race. African-American men are more exposed in developing a prostate cancer but this disease can also be inherited, even if in the family records the prostate cancer medical history does not exist.
There are no early symptoms to make the cancer noticeable at an early stage and even if some unusual symptoms are reported, such as frequent urination or pain when ejaculating, there is also the possibility for them not to be related with the existence of a malignant tumor.
Only the malignant tumors are responsible for the apparition of cancer but the benign tumors are potentially dangerous when they are not treated and eventually evolve into more aggressive forms; usually the enlargement of the prostate is caused by the benign prostatic hyperplasia or some other hormonal problems, but if without treatment, these medical conditions can evolve into more aggressive forms.
The <a href="http://i-prostatecancer.com/information-on-prostate-cancer/">screenings </a>are basically two examinational procedures: the digital rectal method done by palpating the prostate gland with a gloved finger inserted into the rectum to feel any abnormalities such as lumps or hardness and the blood samples taken to establish the normal or abnormal levels of the prostate specific antigen, the abnormal levels indicating a health problem.
By interpreting the obtained results, the medical specialist will decide to continue or not the medical examination with the prostate biopsy, which is the best method of cancer detection, sometimes complemented with new ones such as the nomogram, the prostate mapping and the radionuclide bone scans or the coaxial tomography.
These medical investigation procedures are also useful in determining the characteristics of a cancer, if it is diagnosed; the staging and grading process are the last steps after prescribing one certain form of treatment, either being surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, cryotherapy or the <strong>prostate cancer radiation treatment.</strong>
The medical research studies have concluded that in comparison to treatment alternatives such as prostatectomy, androgen deprivation therapy, cryotherapy or chemotherapy, the <strong>side effects of the radiotherapy</strong> are less health damaging but in some cases, the commonly reported incontinence and impotence can be permanent.
The prognosis for the prostate cancer outcome can be very difficult because each type of cancer, in fact, each cancer is unique and its progression depends on the general health of that particular person diagnosed with it; in the first stage the cancer cells appear only in the infected gland, with a slow growth of almost four years for the tumor to double its size, but eventually reaching outside the prostate capsule, the cancer becoming locally advanced and evolving into more aggressive forms such as the metastases in some cases.
Radiation Treatment For Prostate Cancer
Published on Jun 27 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
The radiation treatment method, today used for prostate cancer cases, was discovered in the early 20th century and consisted in intraprostatic radium implants and soon after that, being replaced with the external beam radiation with the purpose of damaging the DNA of the cancer cells to stop their multiplication. Today we know two types of radiation procedures: the external proton beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy or the internal radiation; internal because the radioactive seeds, the size of a rice grain, are inserted into the infected gland and left there until they decay. There are several important differenced between these two methods, one being the potential side-effects. The internal radiation is done by using a needle, thus avoiding the damage of the surrounding healthy tissues but the external radiation must be performed by medical experts because an incorrect radiation dose might affect not only the cancerous cells.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The prostate cancer is a common type of cancer that generally develops after the dangerous age of forty when some men experience the so-called “andropause” or “male menopause”, because of various factors such as age, alimentation, hormonal problems, genetic inheritance and even race.
The aging process can not be prevented and because of it different diseases are often reported, not only cancer; the levels of the male specific hormone, the testosterone, are also influenced by age.
Any hormonal problem will directly affect the general health of a person and in a man’s case, the functions of the prostate gland, located in the reproductive system and responsible with the making of the seminal fluid. The enlargement of the prostate is a symptom often associated with the existence of cancer but this may as well be associated with other prostate diseases or disorders such as the benign prostatic hyperplasia.
A correct treatment therapy can also prevent this progression or delay it, increasing the survival period of time. We know well that the prognosis for the cancer outcome is bases on two main treatment results: the cancer will be treated or even cured or the evolution of the tumor can not be stopped nor delayed. This usually happens when the cancer has already reached an advanced form and depends on the main medical characteristics of that particular patient’s body.
If the prescribed treatment is the right one for that cancer, even though it is very difficult to guess what method of treatment will give the best results because each cancer is unique and evolves in different stages in different periods of time, this disease can even be cured and after fifteen years the survival rates stabilize and the possibility of cancer recurrence decreases at very low levels but not completely.
The early symptoms of a prostate cancer are usually not noticed so the only method to detect a first stage tumor is by doing the screening tests at regular periods of time. The results of the screenings, after taking blood samples to determine the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the digital rectal examination, are to be interpreted by medical specialist who will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not.
With the prostate biopsy, doctors will determine exactly if the cancer cells exist in the gland or not, and for an accurate diagnose they will also use methods of detection such as the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or/and the nomogram.
Research studies have concluded that in comparison to prostatectomy, cryotherapy or the androgen deprivation therapy, the radiotherapy treatment for the prostate cancer has less health damaging side-effects, such as temporary incontinence or impotence; in some cases these effect can be permanent.
The spreading process of the cancer cells is a slow one, the malignant tumor doubling its size once every four years and because of it, there is a ninety eight percent chance of surviving for at least five years after the initial diagnose, even if the tumor is already locally advanced.
The prostate cancer radiation therapy is one of those types of treatments recommended only when the cancer becomes locally advanced or metastatic; if the tumor is organ-confined, the best treatment option has to be surgery or prostatectomy, sometimes complemented with the alternative treatment such as the herbal therapy to stop possible life endangering side-effects such as the local bleeding.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The prostate cancer is a common type of cancer that generally develops after the dangerous age of forty when some men experience the so-called “andropause” or “male menopause”, because of various factors such as age, alimentation, hormonal problems, genetic inheritance and even race.
The aging process can not be prevented and because of it different diseases are often reported, not only cancer; the levels of the male specific hormone, the testosterone, are also influenced by age.
Any hormonal problem will directly affect the general health of a person and in a man’s case, the functions of the prostate gland, located in the reproductive system and responsible with the making of the seminal fluid. The enlargement of the prostate is a symptom often associated with the existence of cancer but this may as well be associated with other prostate diseases or disorders such as the benign prostatic hyperplasia.
A correct treatment therapy can also prevent this progression or delay it, increasing the survival period of time. We know well that the prognosis for the cancer outcome is bases on two main treatment results: the cancer will be treated or even cured or the evolution of the tumor can not be stopped nor delayed. This usually happens when the cancer has already reached an advanced form and depends on the main medical characteristics of that particular patient’s body.
If the prescribed treatment is the right one for that cancer, even though it is very difficult to guess what method of treatment will give the best results because each cancer is unique and evolves in different stages in different periods of time, this disease can even be cured and after fifteen years the survival rates stabilize and the possibility of cancer recurrence decreases at very low levels but not completely.
The early symptoms of a prostate cancer are usually not noticed so the only method to detect a first stage tumor is by doing the screening tests at regular periods of time. The results of the screenings, after taking blood samples to determine the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the digital rectal examination, are to be interpreted by medical specialist who will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not.
With the prostate biopsy, doctors will determine exactly if the cancer cells exist in the gland or not, and for an accurate diagnose they will also use methods of detection such as the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or/and the nomogram.
Research studies have concluded that in comparison to prostatectomy, cryotherapy or the androgen deprivation therapy, the radiotherapy treatment for the prostate cancer has less health damaging side-effects, such as temporary incontinence or impotence; in some cases these effect can be permanent.
The spreading process of the cancer cells is a slow one, the malignant tumor doubling its size once every four years and because of it, there is a ninety eight percent chance of surviving for at least five years after the initial diagnose, even if the tumor is already locally advanced.
The prostate cancer radiation therapy is one of those types of treatments recommended only when the cancer becomes locally advanced or metastatic; if the tumor is organ-confined, the best treatment option has to be surgery or prostatectomy, sometimes complemented with the alternative treatment such as the herbal therapy to stop possible life endangering side-effects such as the local bleeding.
Prostate Cancer Radiation Treatment
Published on Jun 27 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
The prostate cancer is a common type of cancer that generally develops after the dangerous age of forty when some men experience the so-called “andropause” or “male menopause”, because of various factors such as age, alimentation, hormonal problems, genetic inheritance and even race.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The aging process can not be prevented and because of it different diseases are often reported, not only cancer; the levels of the male specific hormone, the testosterone, are also influenced by age.
Any hormonal problem will directly affect the general health of a person and in a man’s case, the functions of the prostate gland, located in the reproductive system and responsible with the making of the seminal fluid. The enlargement of the prostate is a symptom often associated with the existence of cancer but this may as well be associated with other prostate diseases or disorders such as the benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The spreading process of the cancer cells is a slow one, the malignant tumor doubling its size once every four years and because of it, there is a ninety eight percent chance of surviving for at least five years after the initial diagnose, even if the tumor is already locally advanced.
A correct treatment therapy can also prevent this progression or delay it, increasing the survival period of time. We know well that the prognosis for the cancer outcome is bases on two main treatment results: the cancer will be treated or even cured or the evolution of the tumor can not be stopped nor delayed. This usually happens when the cancer has already reached an advanced form and depends on the main medical characteristics of that particular patient’s body.
If the prescribed treatment is the right one for that cancer, even though it is very difficult to guess what method of treatment will give the best results because each cancer is unique and evolves in different stages in different periods of time, this disease can even be cured and after fifteen years the survival rates stabilize and the possibility of cancer recurrence decreases at very low levels but not completely. The prostate cancer radiation therapy is one of those types of treatments recommended only when the cancer becomes locally advanced or metastatic; if the tumor is organ-confined, the best treatment option has to be surgery or prostatectomy, sometimes complemented with the alternative treatment such as the herbal therapy to stop possible life endangering side-effects such as the local bleeding.
The early symptoms of a prostate cancer are usually not noticed so the only method to detect a first stage tumor is by doing the screening tests at regular periods of time. The results of the screenings, after taking blood samples to determine the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the digital rectal examination, are to be interpreted by medical specialist who will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not.
With the prostate biopsy, doctors will determine exactly if the cancer cells exist in the gland or not, and for an accurate diagnose they will also use methods of detection such as the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or/and the nomogram.
The radiation treatment method, today used for prostate cancer cases, was discovered in the early 20th century and consisted in intraprostatic radium implants and soon after that, being replaced with the external beam radiation with the purpose of damaging the DNA of the cancer cells to stop their multiplication. Today we know two types of radiation procedures: the external proton beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy or the internal radiation; internal because the radioactive seeds, the size of a rice grain, are inserted into the infected gland and left there until they decay. There are several important differenced between these two methods, one being the potential side-effects. The internal radiation is done by using a needle, thus avoiding the damage of the surrounding healthy tissues but the external radiation must be performed by medical experts because an incorrect radiation dose might affect not only the cancerous cells.
Research studies have concluded that in comparison to prostatectomy, cryotherapy or the androgen deprivation therapy, the radiotherapy has less health damaging side-effects, such as temporary incontinence or impotence; in some cases these effect can be permanent.
You will probably find out more details about this treatment option if you ask a medical specialist, advice that might be very important in deciding what treatment you should choose in your case.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The aging process can not be prevented and because of it different diseases are often reported, not only cancer; the levels of the male specific hormone, the testosterone, are also influenced by age.
Any hormonal problem will directly affect the general health of a person and in a man’s case, the functions of the prostate gland, located in the reproductive system and responsible with the making of the seminal fluid. The enlargement of the prostate is a symptom often associated with the existence of cancer but this may as well be associated with other prostate diseases or disorders such as the benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The spreading process of the cancer cells is a slow one, the malignant tumor doubling its size once every four years and because of it, there is a ninety eight percent chance of surviving for at least five years after the initial diagnose, even if the tumor is already locally advanced.
A correct treatment therapy can also prevent this progression or delay it, increasing the survival period of time. We know well that the prognosis for the cancer outcome is bases on two main treatment results: the cancer will be treated or even cured or the evolution of the tumor can not be stopped nor delayed. This usually happens when the cancer has already reached an advanced form and depends on the main medical characteristics of that particular patient’s body.
If the prescribed treatment is the right one for that cancer, even though it is very difficult to guess what method of treatment will give the best results because each cancer is unique and evolves in different stages in different periods of time, this disease can even be cured and after fifteen years the survival rates stabilize and the possibility of cancer recurrence decreases at very low levels but not completely. The prostate cancer radiation therapy is one of those types of treatments recommended only when the cancer becomes locally advanced or metastatic; if the tumor is organ-confined, the best treatment option has to be surgery or prostatectomy, sometimes complemented with the alternative treatment such as the herbal therapy to stop possible life endangering side-effects such as the local bleeding.
The early symptoms of a prostate cancer are usually not noticed so the only method to detect a first stage tumor is by doing the screening tests at regular periods of time. The results of the screenings, after taking blood samples to determine the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the digital rectal examination, are to be interpreted by medical specialist who will decide whether the medical investigation should continue or not.
With the prostate biopsy, doctors will determine exactly if the cancer cells exist in the gland or not, and for an accurate diagnose they will also use methods of detection such as the radionuclide bone scans, the prostate mapping, the coaxial tomography or/and the nomogram.
The radiation treatment method, today used for prostate cancer cases, was discovered in the early 20th century and consisted in intraprostatic radium implants and soon after that, being replaced with the external beam radiation with the purpose of damaging the DNA of the cancer cells to stop their multiplication. Today we know two types of radiation procedures: the external proton beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy or the internal radiation; internal because the radioactive seeds, the size of a rice grain, are inserted into the infected gland and left there until they decay. There are several important differenced between these two methods, one being the potential side-effects. The internal radiation is done by using a needle, thus avoiding the damage of the surrounding healthy tissues but the external radiation must be performed by medical experts because an incorrect radiation dose might affect not only the cancerous cells.
Research studies have concluded that in comparison to prostatectomy, cryotherapy or the androgen deprivation therapy, the radiotherapy has less health damaging side-effects, such as temporary incontinence or impotence; in some cases these effect can be permanent.
You will probably find out more details about this treatment option if you ask a medical specialist, advice that might be very important in deciding what treatment you should choose in your case.
Treatment Of Prostate Cancer
Published on Jun 24 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
Cancer is an abnormal medical condition and a common disease, affecting a great part of the world’s population; there are many types of cancer but the most dangerous and frequent ones are the skin cancer, lung cancer and the prostate cancer in men.
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The main cause for developing a prostate cancer can be the decreased level of testosterone, which is the male specific hormone, related to the unavoidable aging process or the already inherited family genes. Recent research studies have indicated that race is also to be blamed for the cancer of prostate, and the African-American men are generally more exposed to its effects while Asian men are less affected by this type of cancer. It is not even worth mentioning again the obvious fact that the living environment and the poor nutritional foods, the cigar smoke that can affect both smokers and non-smokers, and the large consumption of alcohol drinks can lead to the apparition of all sorts of diseases, not only cancer.
The positive thinking might help the patient make it through this difficult situation but the prognosis for the outcome of cancer tells us that there are two opposite treatment results: the patient will respond well to the prescribed prostate cancer treatment or the spreading process will just continue until another form of treatment can delay it or even stop it.
The androgen deprivation therapy or the hormone therapy is related with the health problems mentioned before and related with the levels of testosterone in the body, after a certain age. The hypothalamus is that part of the brain that monitors the levels of the hormones which are responsible for the good functioning of the organism and its growth activity so this part will always react by releasing the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and the gonadotripin releasing hormone (GnRH) if the those hormone levels suddenly drop to dangerous levels.
Both radiation therapy and cryotherapy try to damage the cancerous cells either by affecting their DNA or by freezing them with freezing liquid inserted through a needle directly in the prostate gland; chemotherapy is a prostate cancer treatment therapy done only with the use of strong drugs such as anthracyclines and antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkylating agents and plant alkaloids, etc.
The conventional prostate cancer treatments can be complemented with the use of the alternative treatment, known for the herbal therapy and homeopathy. The unconventional method know as expectant management or the watchful waiting is claimed by both methods of treatment; doctors will recommend this method only if the cancer had reached its last stage and there is no chance to treat it or for men over seventy, if the malignant tumor was diagnosed at this late age.
The radiation therapy is probably the second most used form of treatment for the advanced type of prostate cancer or when the prostatectomy can’t be used anymore because the tumor is no longer organ-confined; the brachytherapy procedure is done by inserting in the prostate gland radioactive seeds and leave theme there until they decay while the proton beam radiation therapy is external and involves the concentration of proton laser beams directly on the cancer infected tissue regions. Both radiation therapies have their potential health damaging side-effects.
The screenings are the best method of diagnosing a prostate cancer. With the blood tests the medical specialist will establish the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the free testosterone, using and with the digital rectal examination, a physician might tell if a
hardness, specific to the existence of a malignant tumor in the infected gland, is felt or not. The results of the screening tests have to be interpreted and for a precise diagnose, the prostate biopsy is recommended, especially when the screening results show something abnormal.
The biopsy is the best method of detection available out there but sometimes it can be complemented with the nomogram, the radionuclide bone scans or the prostate mapping because the cancer should be diagnosed but also staged with the help of the TNM or the Whitmore-Jewett staging systems. Some other characteristics of that particular cancer can be discovered with the help of the popular Gleason scale, which is actually very important for prescribing the right treatment therapy.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The main cause for developing a prostate cancer can be the decreased level of testosterone, which is the male specific hormone, related to the unavoidable aging process or the already inherited family genes. Recent research studies have indicated that race is also to be blamed for the cancer of prostate, and the African-American men are generally more exposed to its effects while Asian men are less affected by this type of cancer. It is not even worth mentioning again the obvious fact that the living environment and the poor nutritional foods, the cigar smoke that can affect both smokers and non-smokers, and the large consumption of alcohol drinks can lead to the apparition of all sorts of diseases, not only cancer.
The positive thinking might help the patient make it through this difficult situation but the prognosis for the outcome of cancer tells us that there are two opposite treatment results: the patient will respond well to the prescribed prostate cancer treatment or the spreading process will just continue until another form of treatment can delay it or even stop it.
The androgen deprivation therapy or the hormone therapy is related with the health problems mentioned before and related with the levels of testosterone in the body, after a certain age. The hypothalamus is that part of the brain that monitors the levels of the hormones which are responsible for the good functioning of the organism and its growth activity so this part will always react by releasing the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and the gonadotripin releasing hormone (GnRH) if the those hormone levels suddenly drop to dangerous levels.
Both radiation therapy and cryotherapy try to damage the cancerous cells either by affecting their DNA or by freezing them with freezing liquid inserted through a needle directly in the prostate gland; chemotherapy is a prostate cancer treatment therapy done only with the use of strong drugs such as anthracyclines and antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkylating agents and plant alkaloids, etc.
The conventional prostate cancer treatments can be complemented with the use of the alternative treatment, known for the herbal therapy and homeopathy. The unconventional method know as expectant management or the watchful waiting is claimed by both methods of treatment; doctors will recommend this method only if the cancer had reached its last stage and there is no chance to treat it or for men over seventy, if the malignant tumor was diagnosed at this late age.
The radiation therapy is probably the second most used form of treatment for the advanced type of prostate cancer or when the prostatectomy can’t be used anymore because the tumor is no longer organ-confined; the brachytherapy procedure is done by inserting in the prostate gland radioactive seeds and leave theme there until they decay while the proton beam radiation therapy is external and involves the concentration of proton laser beams directly on the cancer infected tissue regions. Both radiation therapies have their potential health damaging side-effects.
The screenings are the best method of diagnosing a prostate cancer. With the blood tests the medical specialist will establish the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the free testosterone, using and with the digital rectal examination, a physician might tell if a
hardness, specific to the existence of a malignant tumor in the infected gland, is felt or not. The results of the screening tests have to be interpreted and for a precise diagnose, the prostate biopsy is recommended, especially when the screening results show something abnormal.
The biopsy is the best method of detection available out there but sometimes it can be complemented with the nomogram, the radionuclide bone scans or the prostate mapping because the cancer should be diagnosed but also staged with the help of the TNM or the Whitmore-Jewett staging systems. Some other characteristics of that particular cancer can be discovered with the help of the popular Gleason scale, which is actually very important for prescribing the right treatment therapy.
Prostate Cancer Treatments
Published on Jun 24 2010, in the categories: prostate cancer
The main cause for developing a prostate cancer can be the decreased level of testosterone, which is the male specific hormone, related to the unavoidable aging process or the already inherited family genes. Recent research studies have indicated that race is also to be blamed for the cancer of prostate, and the African-American men are generally more exposed to its effects while Asian men are less affected by this type of cancer. It is not even worth mentioning again the obvious fact that the living environment and the poor nutritional foods, the cigar smoke that can affect both smokers and non-smokers, and the large consumption of alcohol drinks can lead to the apparition of all sorts of diseases, not only cancer.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The radiation therapy is probably the second most used form of treatment for the advanced type of prostate cancer or when the prostatectomy can’t be used anymore because the tumor is no longer organ-confined; the brachytherapy procedure is done by inserting in the prostate gland radioactive seeds and leave theme there until they decay while the proton beam radiation therapy is external and involves the concentration of proton laser beams directly on the cancer infected tissue regions. Both radiation therapies have their potential health damaging side-effects.
The androgen deprivation therapy or the hormone therapy is related with the health problems mentioned before and related with the levels of testosterone in the body, after a certain age. The hypothalamus is that part of the brain that monitors the levels of the hormones which are responsible for the good functioning of the organism and its growth activity so this part will always react by releasing the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and the gonadotripin releasing hormone (GnRH) if the those hormone levels suddenly drop to dangerous levels.
The conventional prostate cancer treatments can be complemented with the use of the alternative treatment, known for the herbal therapy and homeopathy. The unconventional method know as expectant management or the watchful waiting is claimed by both methods of treatment; doctors will recommend this method only if the cancer had reached its last stage and there is no chance to treat it or for men over seventy, if the malignant tumor was diagnosed at this late age.
The surgery treatment, known as prostatectomy is done by completely removing the prostate gland or only the damaged tissue parts.
Both radiation therapy and cryotherapy try to damage the cancerous cells either by affecting their DNA or by freezing them with freezing liquid inserted through a needle directly in the prostate gland; chemotherapy is a prostate cancer treatment therapy done only with the use of strong drugs such as anthracyclines and antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkylating agents and plant alkaloids, etc.
Cancer is an abnormal medical condition and a common disease, affecting a great part of the world’s population; there are many types of cancer but the most dangerous and frequent ones are the skin cancer, lung cancer and the prostate cancer in men.
The screenings are the best method of diagnosing a prostate cancer. With the blood tests the medical specialist will establish the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the free testosterone, using and with the digital rectal examination, a physician might tell if a hardness, specific to the existence of a malignant tumor in the infected gland, is felt or not. The results of the screening tests have to be interpreted and for a precise diagnose, the prostate biopsy is recommended, especially when the screening results show something abnormal.
The biopsy is the best method of detection available out there but sometimes it can be complemented with the nomogram, the radionuclide bone scans or the prostate mapping because the cancer should be diagnosed but also staged with the help of the TNM or the Whitmore-Jewett staging systems. Some other characteristics of that particular cancer can be discovered with the help of the popular Gleason scale, which is actually very important for prescribing the right treatment therapy.
The positive thinking might help the patient make it through this difficult situation but the prognosis for the outcome of the prostate cancer tells us that there are two opposite treatment results: the patient will respond well to the prescribed treatment or the spreading process will just continue until another form of treatment can delay it or even stop it.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The radiation therapy is probably the second most used form of treatment for the advanced type of prostate cancer or when the prostatectomy can’t be used anymore because the tumor is no longer organ-confined; the brachytherapy procedure is done by inserting in the prostate gland radioactive seeds and leave theme there until they decay while the proton beam radiation therapy is external and involves the concentration of proton laser beams directly on the cancer infected tissue regions. Both radiation therapies have their potential health damaging side-effects.
The androgen deprivation therapy or the hormone therapy is related with the health problems mentioned before and related with the levels of testosterone in the body, after a certain age. The hypothalamus is that part of the brain that monitors the levels of the hormones which are responsible for the good functioning of the organism and its growth activity so this part will always react by releasing the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and the gonadotripin releasing hormone (GnRH) if the those hormone levels suddenly drop to dangerous levels.
The conventional prostate cancer treatments can be complemented with the use of the alternative treatment, known for the herbal therapy and homeopathy. The unconventional method know as expectant management or the watchful waiting is claimed by both methods of treatment; doctors will recommend this method only if the cancer had reached its last stage and there is no chance to treat it or for men over seventy, if the malignant tumor was diagnosed at this late age.
The surgery treatment, known as prostatectomy is done by completely removing the prostate gland or only the damaged tissue parts.
Both radiation therapy and cryotherapy try to damage the cancerous cells either by affecting their DNA or by freezing them with freezing liquid inserted through a needle directly in the prostate gland; chemotherapy is a prostate cancer treatment therapy done only with the use of strong drugs such as anthracyclines and antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkylating agents and plant alkaloids, etc.
Cancer is an abnormal medical condition and a common disease, affecting a great part of the world’s population; there are many types of cancer but the most dangerous and frequent ones are the skin cancer, lung cancer and the prostate cancer in men.
The screenings are the best method of diagnosing a prostate cancer. With the blood tests the medical specialist will establish the levels of the prostate specific antigen and the free testosterone, using and with the digital rectal examination, a physician might tell if a hardness, specific to the existence of a malignant tumor in the infected gland, is felt or not. The results of the screening tests have to be interpreted and for a precise diagnose, the prostate biopsy is recommended, especially when the screening results show something abnormal.
The biopsy is the best method of detection available out there but sometimes it can be complemented with the nomogram, the radionuclide bone scans or the prostate mapping because the cancer should be diagnosed but also staged with the help of the TNM or the Whitmore-Jewett staging systems. Some other characteristics of that particular cancer can be discovered with the help of the popular Gleason scale, which is actually very important for prescribing the right treatment therapy.
The positive thinking might help the patient make it through this difficult situation but the prognosis for the outcome of the prostate cancer tells us that there are two opposite treatment results: the patient will respond well to the prescribed treatment or the spreading process will just continue until another form of treatment can delay it or even stop it.
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