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TREATMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO ASK Summary of treatment options It's tempting for us to list here detailed descriptions of the all the various treatments. However, our primary knowledge is the experience of receiving treatment. So here we simply list the treatments and give web-links and we suggest that you phone our Help Line to ask about the patient experience. Active Surveillance - pro-active monitoring of early stage cancer with the intent to cure. http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/pdf/toolkit/activesurveillance.pdf Watchful Waiting - regular check ups possibly leading to hormone treatment or palliative care. This is offered to men who are likely to die from other causes. Surgery - an operation to remove the prostate, suitable for localised cancer. There are currently 3 methods: open surgery, keyhole (laparascopic) surgery or robotically assisted surgery. http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/pdf/toolkit/surgery.pdf External Beam Radiotherapy - uses radiation to destroy the cancer cells. http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/pdf/toolkit/radiotherapy.pdf Brachytherapy - radioactive seeds are implanted long term in the prostate. http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/pdf/toolkit/brachytherapy.pdf High Dose Rate Brachytherapy - radio active seeds are inserted through catheters and removed after a one-off treatment. http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/pdf/toolkit/hidose_brachy.pdf Hormone Treatment - used either prior to curative treatments or where the cancer has spread outside the prostate http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/pdf/toolkit/hormonetherapy.pdf Cryotherapy or Cryosurgery - freezing of the prostate; may be used after failed radiotherapy. http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/info/prostate_cancer/treatment_cryotherapy.asp High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) - cancer cells are heated and destroyed by ultrasound http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/info/newsletter/newsletter_4-2.asp Cryrotherapy and HIFU are fairly new treatments and may be offered as part of clinical trials. Each case can be considered by individual Primary Care Trusts. Bisphosphonate chemo-therapy http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/info/prostate_cancer/treatment_bisphosphonates.asp Abiraterone There was a lot of media coverage in July 2008 about Abiraterone being the new wonder drug for prostate cancer patients. The following link gives a more balanced perspective. http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=39986 Questions to ask your GP and Specialist Each of the links given above includes questions that you might ask your GP or specialist. In addition, the following link gives a list of frequently asked questions that might be helpful for you. http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/info/faq.asp
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