Considering prostate cancer treatment options if you have been diagnosed with the disease can seem daunting, but the outlook for treating prostate cancer can be quite promising.
Prostate cancer treatment options are becoming more effective and safer than ever before. Even so, there are many factors that should be considered with your physician before you decide on a treatment that is right for you.
The American Cancer Society explains that not all men with prostate cancer will need treatment right away.
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According to the American Cancer Society, decisions on prostate cancer treatment options should be based on the following factors:
1. Age at Diagnosis
If you are younger, you may be more willing to accept the side affects of treatment that will cure your prostate cancer.
Older men may have prostate cancer that will not lead to their death, and they can consider the disease a chronic one that requires watchful monitoring, often called active surveillance.
2. Side Effects of Treatment
Prostate cancer treatment can cause side effects that will be unacceptable to some men such as incontinence or sexual problems.
Other men with prostate cancer will place getting rid of the cancer at the top of their priority list despite the challenges side effects could bring.
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3. Overall Health
Men in good overall health may place more importance on getting rid of prostate cancer than men with many other health conditions.
Men with serious health issues may choose to or be advised to deal with those first while simply monitoring the prostate cancer.
4. The Type of Cancer
Some prostate cancers are slow-growing, pose very little health risk, and have no symptoms.
According to WebMD, as many as 40 percent of all prostate cancers do not require anything more than active surveillance. With this approach, the prostate cancer is monitored with regular testing and treatment is initiated if and when it is needed.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation recommends consulting with three different physicians when determining the right approach: a urologist, a radiation oncologist, and a medical oncologist.
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