Prostate Cancer Radiation Seeds Versus External Beam
Published on Mar 30 2010, in the categories: Radiation Therapy, Therapies, Useful Info
The prostate cancer is a disease which affects only men and its potential effects could very well endanger their lives.
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The cancer is not the only disease affecting the prostate and to reach a correct diagnose, doctors often recommend the screening tests; depending on the results they decide to conduct, or not, further medical investigations.
These screening tests include the digital rectal exam or DRE, when the doctor searches for hardness or lumps on the surface of the prostate gland and the prostate specific antigen blood tests or PSA.
If the test result is considered to be abnormal, a prostate biopsy is needed and is done by withdrawing one or two small pieces of the prostate tissue, using a needle trans-rectally, under the guidance of ultrasound images of the prostate area.
If cancer is diagnosed, a pathologist uses the Gleason scale to classify the stages of the cancer and how far is the tumor spread. There are three ways a cancer can spread: invading the neighboring tissues, spreading through the lymph vessels and lymph nodes or by traveling through the blood to far away tissues.
The doctor’s recommended treatment options are based on this information.
Radiation therapy, a treatment procedure developed in the early twentieth century has the effect of damaging the DNA of a cancerous cell so that is won’t be able to multiply.
In early stages this method consisted of intraprostatic radium implants but once the radiation sources became stronger, external beam procedure soon became the popular choice for radiation therapy.
Now we talk about two radiation therapy procedures, the first being brachytherapy, dating back since 1983.
The brachy part from the brachytherapy word comes from the greek translation of “short” because the radiation therapy is placed at a short distance from the damaged tissue; it is also known as internal beam radiation, the radioactive seeds being directly inserted in the prostate gland through needles thus avoiding the damaging of the surrounding organs or body parts.
The second radiation treatment is the external beam radiation therapy or the EBRT when x-rays with a high energy are directed towards the tumor area. This treatment could be done for about six to eight weeks, depending on its effects.
Radiation therapy could still be regarded as a new method of treating the prostate cancer since not many things are known about it except the fact that it does has an effect in eliminating the cancerous cells.
Studies about comparing the two methods of radiation therapy are still being conducted, so we can not say with certainty which one is better.
We do know that radiation therapy has some side effects like impotence and incontinence, but they are less frequent if we compare this treatment with surgery; also cryotherapy had some less favorable results in treating an advanced form of prostate cancer than radiation therapy.
Either way, before choosing a treatment method stay informed about what changes might occur in the treatment research medical field.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
The cancer is not the only disease affecting the prostate and to reach a correct diagnose, doctors often recommend the screening tests; depending on the results they decide to conduct, or not, further medical investigations.
These screening tests include the digital rectal exam or DRE, when the doctor searches for hardness or lumps on the surface of the prostate gland and the prostate specific antigen blood tests or PSA.
If the test result is considered to be abnormal, a prostate biopsy is needed and is done by withdrawing one or two small pieces of the prostate tissue, using a needle trans-rectally, under the guidance of ultrasound images of the prostate area.
If cancer is diagnosed, a pathologist uses the Gleason scale to classify the stages of the cancer and how far is the tumor spread. There are three ways a cancer can spread: invading the neighboring tissues, spreading through the lymph vessels and lymph nodes or by traveling through the blood to far away tissues.
The doctor’s recommended treatment options are based on this information.
Radiation therapy, a treatment procedure developed in the early twentieth century has the effect of damaging the DNA of a cancerous cell so that is won’t be able to multiply.
In early stages this method consisted of intraprostatic radium implants but once the radiation sources became stronger, external beam procedure soon became the popular choice for radiation therapy.
Now we talk about two radiation therapy procedures, the first being brachytherapy, dating back since 1983.
The brachy part from the brachytherapy word comes from the greek translation of “short” because the radiation therapy is placed at a short distance from the damaged tissue; it is also known as internal beam radiation, the radioactive seeds being directly inserted in the prostate gland through needles thus avoiding the damaging of the surrounding organs or body parts.
The second radiation treatment is the external beam radiation therapy or the EBRT when x-rays with a high energy are directed towards the tumor area. This treatment could be done for about six to eight weeks, depending on its effects.
Radiation therapy could still be regarded as a new method of treating the prostate cancer since not many things are known about it except the fact that it does has an effect in eliminating the cancerous cells.
Studies about comparing the two methods of radiation therapy are still being conducted, so we can not say with certainty which one is better.
We do know that radiation therapy has some side effects like impotence and incontinence, but they are less frequent if we compare this treatment with surgery; also cryotherapy had some less favorable results in treating an advanced form of prostate cancer than radiation therapy.
Either way, before choosing a treatment method stay informed about what changes might occur in the treatment research medical field.
Prostate Cancer And Radiation Therapy
Published on Mar 26 2010, in the categories: Radiation Therapy
The second most utilized conventional treatment for prostate cancer has to be the radiation therapy.
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It was developed for the first time in the early 20th century, consisting of intraprostatic radium implants but once the radiation sources became stronger, external beam procedure soon became the popular choice for radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy is done by damaging the DNA of a cell so it won’t be able to multiply. There are two known radiation procedures: brachytheraphy or internal beam radiation, referring to the direct placing of the treatment or at a short distance away from the infected tissue, and the EBRT or external beam radiation therapy where x-rays with a high energy are directed towards the tumor area. The first method of radiation therapy dates back since 1983.
Brachytherapy is considered to be more advantageous in comparison to the external beam radiation, since the radioactive seeds are being directly inserted in the prostate gland through needles thus avoiding the damaging of the surrounding organs or body parts. Studies about these two procedures have not ceased to appear.
Prostate cancers, depending on how wide spread they are, are classified into organ confined, meaning inside the region of the gland, locally advanced, when the cancer spread locally and metastatic, the advanced form of prostate cancer. A cure for this last stage cancer is unavailable at the moment but it could be avoided if the cancer is diagnosed on time.
Treatments are used to slow down the multiplying of cancer cells or the growth of a tumor but also for eliminating painful symptoms. Before advising you to choose a treatment procedure, a doctor has to take in consideration a patient’s age, general health details, extent of cancer and last but not least, it’s preferences. Information is a bliss so before making up your mind about something gather as much information as possible about it.
If a patient has a disease with low risk he can either choose radiotherapy or prostatectomy as a treatment method; the intermediate and high risk diseases are treated with radiation therapy and either for a long or a short period of time with hormonal ablation.
Radiation therapy has the benefit effect of damaging only the cancerous cells, while normal cells continue to function.
The negative side effects encountered when radiation therapy was used are impotence and incontinence, but are less frequent in comparison to the surgery’s effects. Studies have shown that the survival rate after ten years of treatment is similar to that for prostatectomy.
The data obtained after comparing the radiation therapy to cryotherapy gave a favourable result for the first treatment procedure.
Remember, each patient can choose the method of treatment but a doctor’s advice is still important, so if you find yourself among those struck by this disease, remember, again, that there are treatments. The only important thing is to select the right one for your case.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
It was developed for the first time in the early 20th century, consisting of intraprostatic radium implants but once the radiation sources became stronger, external beam procedure soon became the popular choice for radiation therapy.
Radiation therapy is done by damaging the DNA of a cell so it won’t be able to multiply. There are two known radiation procedures: brachytheraphy or internal beam radiation, referring to the direct placing of the treatment or at a short distance away from the infected tissue, and the EBRT or external beam radiation therapy where x-rays with a high energy are directed towards the tumor area. The first method of radiation therapy dates back since 1983.
Brachytherapy is considered to be more advantageous in comparison to the external beam radiation, since the radioactive seeds are being directly inserted in the prostate gland through needles thus avoiding the damaging of the surrounding organs or body parts. Studies about these two procedures have not ceased to appear.
Prostate cancers, depending on how wide spread they are, are classified into organ confined, meaning inside the region of the gland, locally advanced, when the cancer spread locally and metastatic, the advanced form of prostate cancer. A cure for this last stage cancer is unavailable at the moment but it could be avoided if the cancer is diagnosed on time.
Treatments are used to slow down the multiplying of cancer cells or the growth of a tumor but also for eliminating painful symptoms. Before advising you to choose a treatment procedure, a doctor has to take in consideration a patient’s age, general health details, extent of cancer and last but not least, it’s preferences. Information is a bliss so before making up your mind about something gather as much information as possible about it.
If a patient has a disease with low risk he can either choose radiotherapy or prostatectomy as a treatment method; the intermediate and high risk diseases are treated with radiation therapy and either for a long or a short period of time with hormonal ablation.
Radiation therapy has the benefit effect of damaging only the cancerous cells, while normal cells continue to function.
The negative side effects encountered when radiation therapy was used are impotence and incontinence, but are less frequent in comparison to the surgery’s effects. Studies have shown that the survival rate after ten years of treatment is similar to that for prostatectomy.
The data obtained after comparing the radiation therapy to cryotherapy gave a favourable result for the first treatment procedure.
Remember, each patient can choose the method of treatment but a doctor’s advice is still important, so if you find yourself among those struck by this disease, remember, again, that there are treatments. The only important thing is to select the right one for your case.
Radiation Seeds For Prostate Cancer
Published on Mar 01 2010, in the categories: Possible solutions, Radiation Therapy, Related topics, Useful Info
The use of radiation seeds for prostate cancer is no longer news, but I remember when I first heard of radiation seeds for prostate cancer. There were some Swedish experts, back in December 2008, who experimented with this method of treatment and found that if you combine the use of radiation seeds, called radiotherapy, with medication, you greatly improve the life expectancy of the patient and the odds start shifting in favor of the patient. I will now try to quote from memory the first article I read about this topic, because I remember it pretty clearly. So, without further ado, here goes.
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Combining radiation therapy with standard drug therapy halved the rate of deaths from advanced forms of prostate cancer and should become the new worldwide accepted standard therapy, according to Swedish experts. The study was published in the journal Lancet Oncology and was conducted on a sample of 800 patients suffering from prostate cancer. The study revealed that 24% of patients who received only standard treatment died, on average, after 10 years, compared with 12% of patients who have benefited from radiotherapy.
Adding radiation therapy to standard treatment does not cause too many side effects, according to the same Swedish experts. "The quality of life and adverse effects are at an acceptable level. For this reason, we suggest that endocrine therapy combined with radiation become the new standard treatment for these patients," said Anders Widmark of Umea University (Sweden).
Prostate cancer is the second in the top forms of cancer that cause most deaths in men, being the reason for over 221,000 fatalities in the world every year. Approximately 679,000 new cases are discovered annually. Prostate cancer is easily treated by surgery or radiotherapy, if discovered in early stages. For cases where prostate cancer has spread in the body, prescribing certain medications that interfere with hormones that feed cancer cells is a good method to fight this disease.
In the United States, using the drug with radiation therapy has become a standard, said Howard Sandler, director of the radiology-oncology ward of Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, and a spokesman for the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He said that in Europe clinics do not offer radiation therapy as a standard treatment. "A 50% reduction in the number of deaths from prostate cancer is definitely a clear medical benefit," said Sandler.
That’s it, since then, I have kept hearing about radiation therapy, the use of radiation seeds for prostate cancer or the use of external radiation, for a broader base of action of the radiation. Clearly there are many benefits in the new forms of treatment discovered, but the best method of fighting cancer is to prevent it, to prevent the known causes and to live a healthy life. For this, you need to get informed on what the causes for cancer might be and act accordingly. First of all, reduce or quit smoking, and also reduce or quit alcohol. These two are some of your greatest enemies, and by simply dropping these nasty habits you will greatly improve your health and your overall chances of having a long, beautiful and healthy life.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
Combining radiation therapy with standard drug therapy halved the rate of deaths from advanced forms of prostate cancer and should become the new worldwide accepted standard therapy, according to Swedish experts. The study was published in the journal Lancet Oncology and was conducted on a sample of 800 patients suffering from prostate cancer. The study revealed that 24% of patients who received only standard treatment died, on average, after 10 years, compared with 12% of patients who have benefited from radiotherapy.
Adding radiation therapy to standard treatment does not cause too many side effects, according to the same Swedish experts. "The quality of life and adverse effects are at an acceptable level. For this reason, we suggest that endocrine therapy combined with radiation become the new standard treatment for these patients," said Anders Widmark of Umea University (Sweden).
Prostate cancer is the second in the top forms of cancer that cause most deaths in men, being the reason for over 221,000 fatalities in the world every year. Approximately 679,000 new cases are discovered annually. Prostate cancer is easily treated by surgery or radiotherapy, if discovered in early stages. For cases where prostate cancer has spread in the body, prescribing certain medications that interfere with hormones that feed cancer cells is a good method to fight this disease.
In the United States, using the drug with radiation therapy has become a standard, said Howard Sandler, director of the radiology-oncology ward of Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, and a spokesman for the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He said that in Europe clinics do not offer radiation therapy as a standard treatment. "A 50% reduction in the number of deaths from prostate cancer is definitely a clear medical benefit," said Sandler.
That’s it, since then, I have kept hearing about radiation therapy, the use of radiation seeds for prostate cancer or the use of external radiation, for a broader base of action of the radiation. Clearly there are many benefits in the new forms of treatment discovered, but the best method of fighting cancer is to prevent it, to prevent the known causes and to live a healthy life. For this, you need to get informed on what the causes for cancer might be and act accordingly. First of all, reduce or quit smoking, and also reduce or quit alcohol. These two are some of your greatest enemies, and by simply dropping these nasty habits you will greatly improve your health and your overall chances of having a long, beautiful and healthy life.
Prostate Cancer Percentage Receiving Radiation Therapy
Published on Feb 12 2010, in the categories: Problems, Radiation Therapy
Prostate cancer is the most common malignant affliction in men and it represents an important cause for mortality. However, if the cancer is spotted in early stages, the disease can be treated efficiently, and the patient can be cured. The prostate cancer percentage receiving radiation therapy depends on the stage reached by the disease and other afflictions that the patient might present.
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Usually, in early stages, prostate cancer does not show any symptoms. Still, when symptoms appear, patients claim dull pain in the pelvic area, frequent urination, difficult urination, weak urine jet, the presence of blood in the urine or sperm, painful ejaculation, persistent pain in the bones at hip level or in the spine, loss of appetite and loss of weight.
Diagnosis - Detection of prostate cancer is achieved through two ways: digital rectal examination and inspection of the prostatic specific antigen levels (PSA). Most urologists believe that apparently healthy men, aged over 50, should get an annual digital rectal examination and a PSA test, in order to detect any potential prostate cancer early on. The age threshold should be reduced to 40 for men who have a family history of prostate cancer.
The digital rectal examination allows the inspection of the prostate, meant to outline any anomalies in size, consistency and shape, which raise suspicion of malignancy; in addition there could be other changes noticed, which allow the detection of other afflictions of the colon and rectum. The PSA test measures the PSA levels in the blood. PSA is a substance secreted on a prostate level. Analysis of PSA increases the chances of detecting prostate cancer and this test is usually performed at least one or two weeks after the rectal digital examination. However, not all high levels of PSA are signs of malignancy, since, for example, ejaculation can temporarily increase the PSA levels in the blood.
Whenever rectal digital examination and PSA testing raises suspicion of prostate cancer, the specialist performs a biopsy, namely collects some prostatic tissue which is later analyzed under a microscope.
Radiotherapy for prostate cancer can be performed in two ways: external radiotherapy and brachytherapy, with the prostate cancer percentage receiving radiation therapy being similar in efficiency with that seen in early cases of prostate cancer.In external radiotherapy, small doses are administered progressively on a prostate level, in an interval of 6 to 7 weeks. Technological advancements allow, in some centers, the irradiation of the prostate with high doses, without significant damage to the neighboring organs.
Brachytherapy is a method by which radioactive sources, of small sizes, are implanted directly into the prostate, through special needles and using ultrasonic control. The procedure is performed under general or regional anesthetics, and is usually well tolerated, with minimal complications. The main side effects of radiotherapy are connected to the effects of radiation on the urinary bladder and rectum, with the occurrence of specific irritation symptoms. The occurrence of erectile dysfunction is similar to that generated by surgical procedure.
<-336x280 Large Rectangle - center->
Usually, in early stages, prostate cancer does not show any symptoms. Still, when symptoms appear, patients claim dull pain in the pelvic area, frequent urination, difficult urination, weak urine jet, the presence of blood in the urine or sperm, painful ejaculation, persistent pain in the bones at hip level or in the spine, loss of appetite and loss of weight.
Diagnosis - Detection of prostate cancer is achieved through two ways: digital rectal examination and inspection of the prostatic specific antigen levels (PSA). Most urologists believe that apparently healthy men, aged over 50, should get an annual digital rectal examination and a PSA test, in order to detect any potential prostate cancer early on. The age threshold should be reduced to 40 for men who have a family history of prostate cancer.
The digital rectal examination allows the inspection of the prostate, meant to outline any anomalies in size, consistency and shape, which raise suspicion of malignancy; in addition there could be other changes noticed, which allow the detection of other afflictions of the colon and rectum. The PSA test measures the PSA levels in the blood. PSA is a substance secreted on a prostate level. Analysis of PSA increases the chances of detecting prostate cancer and this test is usually performed at least one or two weeks after the rectal digital examination. However, not all high levels of PSA are signs of malignancy, since, for example, ejaculation can temporarily increase the PSA levels in the blood.
Whenever rectal digital examination and PSA testing raises suspicion of prostate cancer, the specialist performs a biopsy, namely collects some prostatic tissue which is later analyzed under a microscope.
Radiotherapy for prostate cancer can be performed in two ways: external radiotherapy and brachytherapy, with the prostate cancer percentage receiving radiation therapy being similar in efficiency with that seen in early cases of prostate cancer.In external radiotherapy, small doses are administered progressively on a prostate level, in an interval of 6 to 7 weeks. Technological advancements allow, in some centers, the irradiation of the prostate with high doses, without significant damage to the neighboring organs.
Brachytherapy is a method by which radioactive sources, of small sizes, are implanted directly into the prostate, through special needles and using ultrasonic control. The procedure is performed under general or regional anesthetics, and is usually well tolerated, with minimal complications. The main side effects of radiotherapy are connected to the effects of radiation on the urinary bladder and rectum, with the occurrence of specific irritation symptoms. The occurrence of erectile dysfunction is similar to that generated by surgical procedure.
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