Knowing The Early-Stage Prostate Cancer ? Surgery Choices ...

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By Glinn Klienberg

Being diagnosed with prostate cancer used to be a huge deal but today, it doesn?t have to be, especially if it?s caught early. While the word cancer is emotionally charged and understandably causes distress, there is no need to make rushed decisions about prostate cancer surgery. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in men with 1 in 6 being diagnosed in his lifetime, and only 1 in 34 die of it. In fact, most men will live full lives and never know that they had microscopic evidences of the disease. According the American Cancer Society, there are more than 1.8 million survivors of prostate cancer in the United States. Facing cancer is never easy, but there are many reasons for hope.

What are the Treatment Options?

There are 5 treatment options available once a patient is diagnosed:

1. Observation
2. Radiation Therapy
3. Cryotherapy, or Freezing of the Cancerous Prostate
4. Hormone Therapy, Used in Conjunction with Radiation or Cryotherapy.
5. Prostatectomy, or the Removal of the Prostate

Surgery and radiation therapy are the most common choices of these options.

Surgery for Prostate Cancer

There are several things that factor in when choosing a course of treatment including age, the stage of the cancer, general health and how localized the cancer is and what chance there is of leaving cancerous cells behind. Many men are good candidates for a radical prostatectomy, a procedure used to remove the entire prostate and any nearby tissue thought to have cancer cells. If the chances of leaving cancerous cells behind are slim and when it?s possible, your doctor may suggest a surgical technique which spares the nerves.

Surgery Options

Until recently, options in surgery were few and often included a large incision in the abdomen and significant recovery time. Today however, it can be done laparoscopically through several small incisions. Laparoscopic surgery may be performed either by hand, or through robot-assisted surgery. Robotically assisted surgery utilizes cutting-edge technologies and give the surgeon increased visibility and range of motion, among many other benefits. Robotic-assisted surgery also offers the patient many advantages that include:

? Faster Recovery Time
? Less Pain
? Less Risk of Infection
? Less Blood Loss
? Lower Occurrence of Incontinence and Impotence

Special Considerations

It is important to understand that surgery may not remove all of the cancer and additional therapies might be necessary. The surgery may also cause side effects such as incontinence and erectile problems, which may or may not improve over time.

Today, men facing prostate cancer surgery are fortunate to have many options in treatment. Be sure to discuss theses options with your physician as you, along with your doctor, evaluate the best course of action.

Glinn Klienberg researched early stage prostate procedures when his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. With robotic surgery for prostate cancer, kidney cancer and more, Porter Adventist Hospital offers care for all stages of cancer treatment.

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