Treatment options for cancer spread beyond the prostate.

In this situation the localized therapies just won’t be enough to stop the growth.  This is Stage III and radiation therapy will most likely help by keeping the tumor in check.   Radiation combined with hormonal therapy will help to slow the growth. 

• Hormonal therapy
  
  
• Clinical Trials - Investigating the possibility of participating in clinical trials is always an option for treatment.  Clinical trials are usually new drugs, combination of drugs or mechanical in nature.
  
  
• Cryosurgery - This process is used to kill prostate cancer cells by freezing them.  Similar to the tiny radioactive seeds delivered through thin needles that we discussed previously, rather than seeds liquid nitrogen is passed through thin probes that are passed through needles that have been passed through the perineum directly into the prostate.  The liquid nitrogen will form a ball of ice from the cancer cells and as the frozen cells thaw out they break up.  This procedure will take a couple of hours under anesthesia which can be either local or a spinal and a 1 or 2 day hospital stay.  There is a downside to this treatment.  Even though a “warming catheter” is inserted into the penis to protect the urethra, the overlying nerve bundles usually freeze as well rendering the man impotent.
  
  
• Chemotherapy - While chemotherapy is an aggressive approach, according to the medical community it is not necessarily effective as a choice to fight the slow growing prostate cancer cells.  This does not mean that it should be ruled out entirely.  New anti-cancer drugs are always being studied and released.  There are a few currently under study that are being included surgical or radiation therapy in men at Stage III prostate cancer.  Another study includes them in the regimen along with hormonal therapy.  This is specifically being used for men with advanced cancer that is not responsive to hormonal therapy by itself.
  
  
• Early Hormonal Therapy - Just as the name signifies, this is the practice of starting hormonal therapy immediately upon the diagnosis of prostate cancer.  The goal is to slow the growth of cancer cells that have grown beyond the prostate and into surrounding tissue and even the lymph nodes.  Sometimes early hormonal therapy helps in shrinking the tumor.
  
  
• Conformal Radiation Therapy - Conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) is a three dimensional computer software program.  It allows radiation beams to conform and shape to fit the prostate thereby accurately targeting only the prostate gland thereby minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
  

No matter what avenue of treatment you select for managing prostate cancer, do your very best to maintain a positive attitude.  Yes, the horizon may look a bit gloomy, but with modern medicine advancements are being made every day. 

Your best defense is a strong offense.  Get screened as soon as possible for early detection then have regular follow-ups especially if you are in an at risk group.