Is prostate cancer curable

Treating Prostate Cancer

Once your prostate cancer has been diagnosed and staged, you have a lot to think about before you and your doctor choose a treatment plan. It’s important that you think carefully about each of your choices. You will want to weigh the benefits of each treatment option against the possible risks and side effects.

Which treatments are used for prostate cancer?

Depending on each case, treatment options for men with prostate cancer might include:

These treatments are generally used one at a time, although in some cases they may be combined.

To learn about the most common approaches to treating prostate cancer, see these topics:

Which doctors treat prostate cancer?

The main types of doctors who treat prostate cancer include:

• Urologists: surgeons who treat diseases of the urinary system and male reproductive system (including the prostate)
• Radiation oncologists: doctors who treat cancer with radiation therapy
• Medical oncologists: doctors who treat cancer with medicines such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy

Many other specialists might be part of your treatment team as well, including physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), nurses, nutrition specialists, social workers, and other health care providers. See Health Professionals Associated With Cancer Care for more on this.

Making treatment decisions

It’s important to discuss all of your treatment options, including their goals and possible side effects, with your doctors to help make the decision that best fits your needs. Some important things to consider include:

• The stage and grade of your cancer
• Your age and expected life span
• Any other serious health conditions you have
• Your feelings (and your doctor’s opinion) about the need to treat the cancer right away
• The likelihood that treatment will cure your cancer (or help in some other way)
• Your feelings about the possible side effects from each treatment

You may feel that you must make a decision quickly, but it’s important to give yourself time to absorb the information you have just learned. It’s also very important to ask questions if there is anything you’re not sure about. For a list of some questions to ask, see What should you ask your health care team about prostate cancer?

Getting a second opinion

You may also want to get a second opinion. This can give you more information and help you feel more certain about the treatment plan you choose. Many men find it helpful to get a second opinion about the best treatment options based on their situation, especially if they have several choices.

Prostate cancer is a complex disease, and doctors can differ in their opinions regarding the best treatment options. Speaking with doctors who specialize in different kinds of treatment may help you sort through your options. If you aren’t sure where to go for a second opinion, ask your doctor for help.

Thinking about taking part in a clinical trial

Clinical trials are carefully controlled research studies that are done to get a closer look at promising new treatments or procedures. Clinical trials are one way to get state-of-the art cancer treatment. Sometimes they may be the only way to get access to newer treatments. They are also the best way for doctors to learn better methods to treat cancer. Still, they are not right for everyone.

If you would like to learn more about clinical trials that might be right for you, start by asking your doctor if your clinic or hospital conducts clinical trials. See Clinical Trials to learn more.

Considering complementary and alternative methods

You may hear about alternative or complementary treatment methods that your doctor hasn’t mentioned. These methods can include vitamins, herbs, special diets, or other methods such as acupuncture or massage, to name a few.

Complementary methods refer to treatments that are used along with your regular medical care. Alternative treatments are used instead of a doctor’s medical treatment. Although some of these methods might be helpful in relieving symptoms or helping you feel better, many have not been proven to work. Some might even be dangerous.

Be sure to talk to your cancer care team about any method you are thinking about using. They can help you learn what is known (or not known) about the method, which can help you make an informed decision.

Choosing to stop treatment or choosing no treatment at all

For some men, when treatments have been tried and are no longer controlling the cancer, it is often helpful to weigh the benefits and risks of continuing to try new treatments. Whether or not you continue treatment, there are still things you can do to help maintain or improve your quality of life. Learn more in If Cancer Treatments Stop Working.

Some men, especially if the cancer is advanced, might not want to be treated at all. There are many reasons you might decide not to get cancer treatment, but it’s important to talk this through with your doctors before you make this decision. Remember that even if you choose not to treat the cancer, you can still get supportive care to help with pain or other symptoms.

Help getting through treatment

Your cancer care team will be your first source of information and support, but there are other resources for help when you need it. Hospital- or clinic-based support services are an important part of your care. These might include nursing or social work services, financial aid, nutritional advice, rehab services, or spiritual help.

The American Cancer Society also has programs and services – including rides to treatment, lodging, and more – to help you get through treatment. Call our National Cancer Information Center at 1-800-227-2345 and speak with one of our trained specialists.

The treatment information here is not official policy of the American Cancer Society and is not intended as medical advice to replace the expertise and judgment of your cancer care team. It is intended to help you and your family make informed decisions, together with your doctor. Your doctor may have reasons for suggesting a treatment plan different from these general treatment options. Don’t hesitate to ask him or her questions about your treatment options.

Survival Rates for Prostate Cancer

Survival rates tell you what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they were diagnosed. They can’t tell you how long you will live, but they may help give you a better understanding of how likely it is that your treatment will be successful. Some men want to know the survival rates for their cancer, and some don’t. If you don’t want to know, you don’t have to.

What is a 5-year survival rate?

Statistics on the outlook for a certain type and stage of cancer are often given as 5-year survival rates, but many people live longer – often much longer – than 5 years. The 5-year survival rate is the percentage of people who live at least 5 years after being diagnosed with cancer. For example, a 5-year survival rate of 90% means that an estimated 90 out of 100 people who have that cancer are still alive 5 years after being diagnosed. Keep in mind, however, that many of these people live much longer than 5 years after diagnosis.

Relative survival rates are a more accurate way to estimate the effect of cancer on survival. These rates compare men with prostate cancer to men in the overall population. For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific stage of prostate cancer is 90%, it means that men who have that cancer are, on average, about 90% as likely as men who don’t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.

But remember, all survival rates are estimates – your outlook can vary based on a number of factors specific to you.

Cancer survival rates don’t tell the whole story

Survival rates are often based on previous outcomes of large numbers of men who had the disease, but they can’t predict what will happen in any particular man’s case. There are a number of limitations to remember:

• The numbers below are among the most current available. But to get 5-year survival rates, doctors have to look at men who were treated at least 5 years ago. As treatments are improving over time, men who are now being diagnosed with prostate cancer may have a better outlook than these statistics show.
• These statistics are based on the stage of the cancer when it was first diagnosed. They don’t apply to cancers that later come back or spread.
• The outlook for men with prostate cancer varies by the stage (extent) of the cancer – in general, the survival rates are higher for men with earlier stage cancers. But many other factors can affect a man’s outlook, such as age and overall health, and how well the cancer responds to treatment. The outlook for each man is specific to his circumstances.

Your doctor can tell you how these numbers may apply to you, as he or she is familiar with your particular situation.

Survival rates for prostate cancer

According to the most recent data, when including all stages of prostate cancer:

• The 5-year relative survival rate is 99%
• The 10-year relative survival rate is 98%
• The 15-year relative survival rate is 96%

Keep in mind that just as 5-year survival rates are based on men diagnosed and first treated more than 5 years ago, 10-year survival rates are based on men diagnosed more than 10 years ago (and 15-year survival rates are based on men diagnosed at least 15 years ago).

Survival rates by stage

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) maintains a large national database on survival statistics for different types of cancer, known as the SEER database. The SEER database does not group cancers by AJCC stage, but instead groups cancers into local, regional, and distant stages.

• Local stage means that there is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the prostate. This includes AJCC stage I, II, and some stage III cancers. About 4 out of 5 prostate cancers are found in this early stage. The relative 5-year survival rate for local stage prostate cancer is nearly 100%.
• Regional stage means the cancer has spread from the prostate to nearby areas. This includes mainly stage IIIB and IVA cancers. The relative 5-year survival rate for regional stage prostate cancer is nearly 100%.
• Distant stage includes stage IVB cancers – cancers that have spread to distant lymph nodes, bones, or other organs. The relative 5-year survival rate for distant stage prostate cancer is about 29%.

Remember, these survival rates are only estimates – they can’t predict what will happen to any one man. We understand that these statistics can be confusing and may lead you to have more questions. Talk with your doctor to better understand your situation.

Is prostate cancer curable

Still have a question? Ask your own!

I am not a physician, but I am an experienced patient. After more than fifteen surgeries I am now undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. I have had two prior cancers.

Doctors tend to cite specific tools for treating prostate cancer and statistical probabilities for survival. But at the end of the day, your best probability for success is finding the doctor that will deliver that highest possible probability of cure, or if not a cure, longevity and a quality of life throughout.

If you are treating with the first or only oncologist to have diagnosed your condition then ask yourself some of the following questions:

Did you marry the first girl you ever dated?

Did you buy the first house you ever looked at?

Are you driving the first car you saw the first time you went to a dealership?

Choosing your treater may actually be life-saving. To put your life in the hands of someone with less aforethought than you put into the purchase of a dishwasher is as goofy an action plan as it sounds.

I have Stage 3 prostate cancer with Gleason grade 5 cells. They cannot fully diagnose the spread of the disease as my implantable defibrillator precludes an MRI, the most common and effective diagnosis for spread. I cannot be treated with as I have been maxed out on radiation from an unrelated cancer thirty years ago. Additional abdominal or pelvic surgery is not an option as they have already had seven or eight invasive surgeries to that area over the years and I am told it’s pretty much goulash in there.

But I have found a radiation oncologist who I believe in and trust (no, not my first, see purchasing a dishwasher, above). While she is considered the most accomplished and experienced radiation oncologist in our region, she has taken it upon herself to embark on an egofree quest to provide me the most appropriate care available.

As far as diagnostic tests, recently two variations of pet scan have been approved for prostate cancer patients, Choline C-11 and 18F Fluciclovine. I have had the latter and am scheduled for the Choline C-11 on Tuesday. I have had two bone scans and a cat scan with contrast. I am also scheduled for an additional cat scan on Tuesday. Ultrasounds are another tool at their disposal. I have had enough labs and bloodwork to qualify as a professional pin cushion. There may be someone left in the midwest who hasn’t had his or her finger up my rectum, but I have to doubt it.

Treatment can include keeping an eye on it, low dose rate brachytherapy, high dose rate brachytherapy, radical prostatectomy, robotic radical prostatectomy, traditional gamma external beam radiation, proton beam radiation, cyberknife radiation, gamma knife radiation, laser scalpel, and I am sure more that have not as yet been discussed with me. There is even a machine somewhere out east, and possibly now elsewhere, that can respond to your subtle adominal movements from breathing in real time during therapy.

With all that, a physician, understandably will most often use the diagnostic and treatment tools he or she is most familiar with, and has at the ready at their facility.

I referred to my dream doctor’s quest as egofree because she is that rare combination of a professional committed to doing what’s best for you, and believing absolutely that if she there is a chance she does not have the best available tools, experience or expertise, she will find where, anywhere in the world, she can send you to maximize your chances of survival. My date Tuesday and Wednesday, three hundred miles from my home, is the fifth facility I have been referred to for diagnosis and treatment.

I apologize for such a long answer to a short question. But at the end of the day the curability of your cancer depends mostly on you and your willingness to do the research and legwork in ensuring you place yourself in the best hands possible.

I have recently started a blog (two entries thus far!) at Life Under the Cloud chronicling my decades of dealing both with the physical and psychological stresses of remaining vigilent while doing battle against the forces of nature, man and beaurocracy.

My prayers are with you always.

In other languages

Prostate cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized structure that makes up part of a man’s reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Prostate cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over age 75. Prostate cancer is rarely found in men younger than 40. People who are at higher risk include:

• African-American men, who are also likely to develop cancer at every age,
• Men who are older than 60
• Men who have a father or brother with prostate cancer
• Men who use too much alcohol
• Farmers and Painters
• Men who eat a diet high in fat, especially animal fat
• Tire plant workers
• Men who have been around cadmium

Prostate cancer is less common in people who do not eat meat (vegetarians). A common problem in almost all men as they grow older is an enlarged prostate. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. It does not raise your risk of prostate cancer. However, it can increase your PSA blood test results.

The PSA blood test is often done to screen men for prostate cancer. Because of PSA testing, most prostate cancers are now found before they cause any symptoms. The symptoms listed below can occur with prostate cancer, usually at a late stage. These symptoms can also be caused by other prostate problems:

• Delayed or slowed start of urinary stream
• Dribbling or leakage of urine, most often after urinating
• Slow urinary stream
• Straining when urinating, or not being able to empty out all of the urine
• Blood in the urine or semen
• Bone pain or tenderness, most often in the lower back and pelvic bones (only when the cancer has spread)

Signs and tests

A biopsy is needed to tell if you have prostate cancer. A sample of tissue is removed from the prostate and sent to a lab. Your doctor may recommend a prostate biopsy if:

• You have high PSA level
• A rectal exam shows a large prostate or a hard, uneven surface

The results are reported using what is called a Gleason grade and a Gleason score.

Treatment depends on many things, including your Gleason score and your overall health. Your doctor will discuss your treatment options. For early-stage prostate cancer, this may include:

• Hormone therapy (medicines to reduce testosterone levels)
• Surgery (radical prostatectomy)
• Radiation therapy, including brachytherapy and proton therapy

If the prostate cancer has spread, treatment may include:

Nerve-Sparing Robotic Radical Prostatectomy:

Nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a well established, minimally invasive procedure that is performed through 4 to 5 small 1-cm keyhole incisions across the mid abdomen. Through these small incisions, the surgeon uses fine laparoscopic instrumentation to precisely dissect the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and vasa deferentia from the urethra and bladder. The instruments can be placed transperitoneally (through the abdomen) or extraperitoneally (under the rectus muscles and in front of the bladder) depending on which approach is more suitable for the patient.

The surgery is performed adhering to the same anatomic principles of open surgery, but without the surgeon’s hands entering into the patient’s body cavity. A robotic arm is also used to control the telescopic lens. The high-definition telescopic lens is attached to a camera device that projects the image onto a video monitor. This provides the surgeon with excellent visualization and details of the prostate gland and the surrounding neurovascular structures, allowing for precise dissection of the prostate and suturing of blood vessels. Once the prostate gland is dissected free from the bladder, rectum, and urethra, it is placed in a small plastic bag and eventually removed by extending one of the keyhole incisions to accommodate the prostate. The bladderneck is sewn back to the urethra to restore continuity of the urinary tract using laparoscopic suturing techniques inside the body. A Foley catheter is placed through the penis to drain the bladder and allow healing of the bladder-urethra connection. In addition, a small drain is placed around the surgical site, exiting one of the keyhole incisions.

Nerve-Sparing Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy:

Anatomic radical prostatectomy, or open surgery, is the most commonly performed surgical procedure for treatment of localized prostate cancer. A less invasive option, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy has its basis in traditional open surgery, with less blood loss and better cosmetic results. Laparoscopic instruments improve visualization, enabling precise dissection of the prostate and neurovascular structures. Additionally, laparoscopic suturing techniques allow for a meticulous connection of bladder to urethra following removal of the prostate. This offers the potential for less scarring of the urethra following surgery.

Advantages over open surgery

• Significantly less blood loss
• Better cosmetic result
• Quicker return to normal activity
• Improved visualization of surgical field

Radical perineal prostatectomy is a surgical procedure wherein the prostate gland is removed through an incision in the area between the anus and the scrotum (perineum). It is typically performed to remove early prostate cancer. Radical perineal prostatectomy is less commonly used than another surgery such as the open radical retropubic prostatectomy or the robot assisted laparoscopic radical retropubic prostatectomy. When the cancer is small and confined to the prostate, radical perineal prostatectomy achieves the same rate of cure as the retropubic approach but less blood is lost and recovery is faster. One downside to the perineal approach is an increased risk of fecal incontinence.
Dr. Mahendra Jain, one of the leading Prostate Cancer Surgeon in India is doing Prostate cancer treatment in Bangalore at affordable cost.