For treating prostate cancer, high density focused ultra sound techniques are often used, where high density sound waves destroy cancer cells. The sound waves are made from an endorectal probe placed inside the patient’s body. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, is a cancer treatment that kills the cancer cells or stops their cell division. Chemotherapy can be either systemic chemotherapy or regional chemotherapy. The former is injected into a vein and the latter is directly placed in the body cavity.

When radiation therapy is used for treating prostate cancer, high energy x-rays or other types of radiation kill cancer cells or stunt them from growing. When a machine outside the body is used to send radiation it is called external radiation therapy and when a radioactive substance sealed in needles wires, or catheters is placed near the cancer inside the body, it is called internal radiation therapy.

Treating prostate cancer can be divided into two distinct groups – localized and metastasized. Surviving prostate cancer is conditioned by the age of the patient, the type of cancer, the presence or absence of metastasis, general overall general health of the patient and above all the family background.

The three standard therapies for men with localized prostate cancer are watchful waiting, surgery and radiation therapy. So far, no detailed comparative study of all the three options has been undertaken. University of Florida researchers have evolved a new gene therapy to stop cancer growth by using a synthetic protein to induce blood clotting that cuts off a tumor’s blood and nutrient supply.

Instead of employing genes to deliver the protein for blood clotting, some researchers are finding ways and means to deliver the protein directly .to the sites of interest. Others are using nanoparticles to detect tumors

Noscapine.a natural substance present in cough medicine is likely to emerge as chemical for treating prostate cancer. No tangible toxicity was observed with noscapine. The study which has been completed in mice will soon be done in human beings also and no side effects are anticipated.

In treating prostate cancer, from the naturopathy standpoint, watchful waiting can be called a regular treatment since changes are made to the patient’s diet and supplements and herbs are prescribed. Patient will allowed time to assess options and treatments to ensure surviving prostate cancer. During watchful waiting, regular digital rectal exams and PSA monitoring are conducted.

For elderly patients, treating prostate cancer, is always complicated. Instead of ‘wait and see’ policy, of observing spreading of cancer in the case of elderly people, if they are given active cancer treatment, their chances of surviving prostate cancer increase.

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