3) Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a method for cancer treatment which uses radiation to destroy malignant tissues. Radiation breaks DNA structure in cells, thus making the cells lose their ability to multiply, then they age and die. In 60s radiotherapy was used to treat patients at early cancer stages. However, today at early stages surgery is most preferable, and radiotherapy is used only when surgery is not indicated.
There exists derivation of radiotherapy called brachytherapy or internal radiotherapy. In this method sources of radiation are implanted in depth of tumor. Thus radiation occurs not outside but from within. This excludes most side effects of radiotherapy connected with inevitable radiation of healthy tissues around , it also provides higher rate of radiation in prostate gland. 5-year survival rate in this method is higher than in ordinary radiotherapy. However, there is no reliable information about 10-year survival and complications after using of brachytherapy.
4) Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is destruction of tumor with the help of low temperature. This method shows the same results as radiotherapy does. Best results are achieved in small tumors, and in combination of cryodestruction and hormonal treatment.
5) Hormonal therapy
Prostate cancer is hormone-dependent tumor, and the androgen-deprivation therapy (male sex hormones blocking) is effective in 70 – 80% patients with common tumors. Hormonal therapy in prostate cancer is used when other methods cannot be used. There exists several methods of hormonal therapy:
- surgical castration
- chemical castration
- androgen blockade of target cells
- ultimate androgen blockade
- 5-alpha-reductase inhibiting
Thus, there are many methods of prostate cancer and none of them is perfect. The choice of method is always performed by the doctor who takes into account patient's condition and his desires.
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