Treatment For Prostate Cancer

The prostate is one of the accessory sexual glands in men. Its size and shape is like a chestnut and it partially surrounds the urethra with the urinary channel running from the bladder to the outside of the body. The prostate is composed chiefly of many coiled glandular elements whose secretion emerges through a system of small ducts into the urethra. The secretion is thick, milky fluid, which forms part of the semen, the sperm bearing fluid. The location of the prostate is roughly between the base of the penis and the anus and is easily felt by examination through the rectum. Thus, a rectal examination will readily reveal degrees of enlargement, tumors, cancer and other abnormalities of the prostate. Prostate radiation works fine for prostate cancer.

One of the unfortunate facts of human anatomy is the closeness of the prostate to the urinary apparatus. Because of this, prostate disorders often express themselves in urinary symptoms. Inflammation of the prostate is very common and often produces frequency of urination; there is sometimes an almost constant desire to void, with very little relief on passing of the urine. Enlargement of the prostate can also produce similar symptoms and lead to some urinary retention. Infection of retained urine may then result in bladder inflammation (cystitis). It is common for an inflammation in one of these organs to spread to the other because of the juxtaposition. Hence cystitis and prostatitis often accompany one another.

Acute prostatitis may be an illness of considerable severity. There is generally fever, frequent urination and pain, which may be worsened by bowel movements. Acute prostatitis may develop into a prostatic abscess with a supportive breakdown of prostatic tissue on the obviously quite sick patient. The early employment of antibiotics is of great value in bringing acute prostatic inflammations under control.

Chronic prostatitis denotes any number of ongoing often mild, congestive and inflammatory disorders of the prostate gland. Although some of these may be due to chronic bacterial infections, many cases of chronic prostatitis do not have a significant bacterial aspect. Such non-bacterial forms of chronic prostatitis may have chronic congestion as an important factor.

Surgery or prostate radiation is generally employed for carious tumors of the prostate gland. Of great importance, however has been the finding that many cancers of the prostate gland, even those that have spread to distant areas, can be brought under control by appropriate changes which are basically hormonal. One of these consists of removal of the testicles and sometimes even the adrenal glands, both of which are known to be sources of male hormone. Still another hormonal approach is administration of female hormone, which in some manner acts to antagonize the male hormone and the growth of some of these prostatic tumors.

Prostate cancer originates in the part of the gland opposite the urethral portion. Unfortunately there are no early signs nor symptoms of prostatic cancer, it is unusual for it to appear first as pain in the back or hips which on x-ray examination is found to be due to spread of the cancer to the bones. Prostrate radiation is found to highly effective in treating prostate cancer. This radiation therapy has some side effects like incontinence, the loss of control of the release of urine, impotence, and inability to sustain erection.

Some side effects also include severe urinary frequency, rectal problems, fatigue, hair loss and damage to the healthy tissue. Radiation therapy also causes diarrhea, bowel urgency, burning bowel movements when constipated. In most of the cases the symptoms are temporary and can be controlled by medication. Radiation therapy can on occasion damage tissues and bladder which may need surgery.

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