RADIOTHERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER

Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer is an article that aims to give you all the information you do not know about radiotherapy for prostate cancer and more. We kindly shared the main headings with you;

What is prostate cancer?

Cancer arises when the body’s cells begin to multiply out of control. Every cell in the body can transform into a cancer cell and spread to different organs. Prostate cancer arises when cells in the prostate gland start to grow out of control. The prostate gland is only found in men. It generates some of the fluid that is present in semen. The prostate’s size may change as a man ages. In younger men, it is about the size of a walnut, but in older men, it can get much bigger.

The treatment options are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

What are the types of prostate cancer?

  • Adenocarcinomas: Make up almost all cases of prostate cancer. The gland cells give rise to these malignancies (the cells that make the prostate fluid that is added to the semen). There are two different kinds of prostate adenocarcinoma such as acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate and ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate
  • Small cell carcinomas: Another name for small cell prostate cancer is neuroendocrine cancer. Compared to other kinds of prostate cancer, they frequently advance more quickly. The flat cells that cover the prostate give rise to these malignancies. They typically develop and spread more quickly than prostate adenocarcinoma.
  • Transitional cell carcinomas: Prostate transitional cell carcinoma begins in the cells lining the tube that carries urine outside of the body (the urethra). Typically, the prostate is affected by this type of cancer after it progresses from the bladder. Rarely, though, it can begin in the prostate and migrate to the bladder opening and the tissues around it. Prostate urothelial carcinoma is another name for this. This type of prostate cancer accounts for 2 to 4 out of 100 cases (between 2 and 4%).

What are the causes of prostate cancer?

There is no direct connection between prostate cancer and any avoidable factors. Many factors determine your risk of contracting it. Risk factors for various malignancies vary. You won’t necessarily develop that cancer just because you have one or more of these risk factors. The factors that cause prostate cancer can be listed as follows:

  • Age: Men 75 to 79 years old are most likely to have prostate cancer.
  • Ethnicity: Black men are more likely than White men to develop prostate cancer.
  • Family history: If you have a close family who has had prostate cancer, your risk of developing the disease is increased.
  • Inheritance of bad genes: Some inherited defective genes can raise your risk of developing prostate cancer such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and Lynch syndrome.
  • Weight gain and obesity: A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more is considered obese. A BMI of 25 to 30 is considered to be overweight. You run a higher chance of developing metastatic or advanced prostate cancer if you are overweight or obese. As a side note, prostate cancer that has spread to another area of the body is referred to as metastatic prostate cancer.
  • Hormones: The various organs in our body produce hormones naturally. A hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) controls healthy cell growth. According to studies, those who have high levels of IGF-1 are more likely to develop prostate cancer.

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

In its early stages, prostate cancer may not show any symptoms at all. More advanced prostate cancer may exhibit symptoms and signs like:

  • Difficulty in urinating
  • Decreased force of the urine stream
  • Urine with blood in it
  • A blemish in the sperm
  • Bone ache
  • Loss of pounds
  • Erection problems

If you are showing any symptoms you can consult a doctor about treatment options like chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

What are the treatments of prostate cancer?

There are several ways to treat prostate cancer in Turkey. Quality healthcare services like Medical Center Turkey provide you with a variety of treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy for prostate cancer at affordable prices.

To create your treatment package and calculate its cost just click below.

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Surgery for Prostate Cancer

If it is believed that the prostate cancer has not spread outside of the gland, surgery is frequently used to try to cure it. A radical prostatectomy is the most common procedure used to treat prostate cancer. The surgeon performs this procedure to completely remove the prostate gland as well as some of the tissue surrounding it, including the seminal vesicles.

 

Radical retropubic prostatectomy

  • An incision is made in the lower abdomen during open prostate cancer surgery, usually from the belly button to the pubic bone.
  • During the procedure, patients are given sedation and either spinal or epidural anesthesia. If there is a chance that the cancer will spread, the surgeon might remove adjacent lymph nodes for inspection. To prevent any unfavorable consequences, the surgery may be postponed if cancer is discovered in the lymph nodes.
  • Following prostate excision, a catheter is placed into the penis to aid with bladder emptying while the patient is asleep, typically for a period of one to two weeks. Following surgery, patients usually stay in the hospital for a few days and are limited in their activities for a few weeks while their bodies recuperate.

 

Radical Perineal prostatectomy

  • Less frequently performed than the retropubic approach, perineal prostate cancer surgery entails making an incision in the skin between the anus and scrotum. Because of the higher risk of erection problems and the incapacity to remove nearby lymph nodes, it is utilized less frequently.
  • If there are no erection concerns and no lymph node surgery is required, the process may go more quickly. If additional medical conditions make retropubic surgery difficult, it might be the better option.
  • It can be just as successful when done properly as the retropubic method.
  • Retropubic surgery may cause more pain than perineal surgery, but recovery time may be shorter.

Apart from surgery chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment options for prostate cancer exist. Continue reading to learn more about radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

The main types of radiotherapy for prostate cancer are:

External beam radiation

In EBRT, a machine outside the body directs radiation beams at the prostate gland. If the cancer has progressed to a specific area of bone, this form of radiation can be used to relieve symptoms like bone pain or to try to treat earlier stages of the disease. Depending on the reason for the radiation, you will often visit an outpatient facility for treatment five days a week for at least a few weeks. Every procedure is very similar to having an x-ray. While there is more radiation used than in an x-ray, the treatment is usually painless. Even though the setup process, which involves getting you ready for treatment, takes longer, each treatment only lasts a few minutes. There are several techniques such as Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), and Proton beam radiation therapy.

Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Brachytherapy

Small radioactive pellets or “seeds,” each about the size of a grain of rice, are used during brachytherapy, also known as seed implantation or interstitial radiation therapy. You put these pellets right into your prostate. Only males with early-stage, somewhat slow-growing prostate cancer typically receive brachytherapy alone (low-grade). Men who have a higher chance of the cancer spreading outside the prostate may choose brachytherapy in combination with external radiation. Other issues also restrict the use of brachytherapy. The risk of urinary side effects may be increased in men who have had a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or in those who already have urinary issues. Men with large prostate glands may find that brachytherapy is less effective since it may be difficult to implant the seeds in all of the necessary areas. Getting a few months of hormone therapy beforehand to reduce the prostate may be one method to get around this.

Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Other than radiotherapy for prostate cancer chemotherapy option also exists. Anti-cancer medications are administered orally or through venous injections during chemotherapy (chemo). Most cancer cells in the body are reached by these medications through the bloodstream.

When hormone therapy fails to treat prostate cancer that has spread outside the prostate gland, chemotherapy may be employed. Recent studies have also suggested that chemotherapy combined with hormone therapy may be beneficial. However, chemotherapy is not a typical treatment for early-stage prostate cancer.

How to prevent prostate cancer?

Although there isn’t a surefire method to stop prostate cancer, there are a few things people can do to possibly lower their risk,

  • Healthy Diet: Consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and well-balanced. Pay attention to foods high in antioxidants, like berries, broccoli, and tomatoes. Reduce your intake of high-fat dairy products and red meat.
  • Frequent Exercise: Get moving on a regular basis. Aim for 150 minutes or more per week of moderate-to-intense activity or 75 minutes or more of vigorous exercise. Exercise has the potential to reduce prostate cancer risk.
  • Sustain a Healthy Weight: It’s critical to maintain a healthy weight with a balanced diet and regular exercise because obesity is associated with an elevated risk of prostate cancer.
  • Limit Alcohol: Studies have linked a higher risk of prostate cancer to excessive alcohol drinking. If you drink alcohol at all, keep your consumption to a moderate amount. Give Up
  • Smoking: Research has shown that smoking increases the chance of aggressive prostate cancer. Giving up smoking can assist in lowering this risk.
  • Frequent Medical Check-ups: Early detection of prostate cancer allows for the best chance of treatment. Regular screenings and check-ups with a healthcare professional can help. Talk to your doctor about the various screening techniques available, including digital rectal exams and PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests.

Why choose Turkey for prostate cancer treatment?

There are a few reasons why people would decide to receive treatment such as radiotherapy for prostate cancer in Turkey,

  • High-quality Healthcare Facilities: Turkey has made major investments in its healthcare system, resulting in contemporary clinics and hospitals that are outfitted with cutting-edge equipment for the detection and treatment of cancer.
  • Skilled and Experienced Medical Experts: Radiation therapists who specialize in treating prostate cancer, urologists, and oncologists are among the medical experts in Turkey who possess this quality. They have a wide range of skills that they bring to their practice because many of them have trained and worked abroad.
  • Cost-Effective Care: Medical care in Turkey can be less expensive than in other Western nations. This makes it a desirable choice for anyone looking for high-quality care at a more affordable price, particularly for treatments like radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or prostate cancer surgery.
  • Advanced Treatment Options: Robotic-assisted surgery, brachytherapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and sophisticated chemotherapy regimes are just a few of the advanced treatment options available for prostate cancer in Turkey. Patients can receive state-of-the-art care that meets or exceeds international standards.

If you have further questions or concerns contact Medical Center Turkey for free. Just click below and consult.

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