Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate cancer forms in tissues of the prostate (a gland in the male reproductive system found below the bladder and in front of the rectum). This disease, which usually occurs in older men and grows relatively slowly, is the most common cancer among men (after skin cancer), but can often be treated successfully.

Standard treatment options may include active surveillance, surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, biologic therapy, and targeted therapy. These treatments are generally used one at a time, although in some cases they may be combined.

Hormonal therapy is also called androgen deprivation therapy or androgen suppression therapy. Its goal is to reduce levels of male hormones, called androgens, in the body, and to block them from affecting prostate cancer cells. This type of therapy can slow prostate cancer cell growth, which is stimulated by androgens.

The use of hormonal therapy for prostate cancer typically increases with the age of the patient, and it is currently also recommended for men with a high risk of recurrence. It may also be used for men who are not able to have surgery or radiation, and for men who can’t be cured by these treatments because the cancer has already spread beyond the prostate gland. It is increasingly being used before, during, and after local treatment as well.