Prostate Cancer Treatment Abroad

How the treatment is performed, depends on the type of treatment chosen by the doctor and patient. In many cases, treatments may be combined.

Surgery usually involves removing the prostate gland and the procedure is referred to as a prostatectomy. A prostatectomy, which is categorized as a radical or simple prostatectomy, can be performed laparoscopically or as open surgery and the patient is administered with a general anesthetic.

A radical prostatectomy is usually performed laparoscopically, which involves making a number of small incisions in the stomach, through which an endoscope is inserted and used to remove the prostate gland using camera guidance. Laparoscopic surgery can also be performed using robotic assistance, which can make smaller incisions that are more precise, meaning even shorter recovery times.

A simple prostatectomy is performed through open surgery. This type of surgery involves making an incision either in the abdomen, which is referred to as the retropubic approach, or in the perineum, the area between the anus and the scrotum, which is referred to as the perineal approach. The retropubic approach is more commonly used and often involves removing the lymph nodes as well as the prostate gland and can leave the nerves intact. The perineal approach is less frequently used, as the lymph nodes cannot be removed, nor can the nerves be spared.

Radiotherapy is a high-energy radiation treatment used to treat cancer. It can be performed externally or internally. In treating prostate cancer, brachytherapy, which is a form of internal radiotherapy, may be used. Brachytherapy involves implanting radioactive material, usually in the form of seeds, into the prostate gland. The seeds are left inside the body until the cancer is cured, or until the cells have decreased, depending on the goal of treatment. They are then removed once they have served their function. There are also permanent types of implants, meaning they are not removed after the treatment, however they cause no harm in being left inside the body.

Hormone therapy is another form of treatment which is administered as medication. The hormones given to the patient aim to prevent the body from producing testosterone. The cancer cells need testosterone to survive and continue growing and by preventing testosterone from being produced, the cells will not be able to grow and will likely die. In some cases, as a means of preventing the production of testosterone, the testicles may be be surgically removed.

Chemotherapy is the use of medicine or drugs that contain chemical substances to treat cancer. There are various methods of administering chemotherapy which include intravenous (IV), intra-arterial (IA), or intraperitoneal (IP) injections. Chemotherapy can also be given orally or applied using topical creams.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), a relatively new procedure used to treat cancer, is a procedure that involves applying high-intensity focused ultrasound energy to specific areas of cancer. The procedure is performed under a general anesthetic and involves inserting an ultrasound probe into the rectum and directing the beams at the prostate which heat up the targeted tissue and cells and destroys them.