As of: February 6, 2024, 1:05 p.m
By: Natalie Hull-Deichsel
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Which therapy makes sense for prostate cancer depends on the stage of the disease.
The success of the treatment also determines the chances of recovery.
Every year around 62,000 men in Germany develop prostate cancer.
The risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age.
If the tumor is still limited to the prostate at the time of diagnosis, curative therapy is more likely to be used.
If the carcinoma has already spread into surrounding tissue and secondary tumors (metastases) have formed in lymph nodes and other organ systems, palliative treatment measures are more likely to be recommended, according to the
German Cancer Society
.
Six possible forms of treatment can be useful.
Prostate cancer: What treatment options are there?
The doctor explains the patient in detail about the possible therapeutic steps for treating prostate cancer.
© xDC_Studiox/Imago
Prostate cancer can be treated with various therapeutic measures.
Depending on the stage of the disease and the patient's history, oncologists use the following options:
surgery
radiotherapy
Hormone therapy
chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Radionuclide therapy
Prostate cancer: When is curative therapy possible?
If the tumor is still in an early stage and limited to the prostate gland, i.e. the prostate, doctors rely on curative treatment through surgical removal or radiation therapy with the aim of curing the patient.
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However, if the cancer is advanced and has already spread to other tissue at the time of diagnosis, surgery or radiation as individual therapy are inadequate, as the
German Cancer Society
explains.
Patients at this stage of the disease are then often additionally treated with adjuvant, supportive hormone therapy, which still pursues a curative and healing approach.
Cancer therapy: Doctor and patient should work closely together
Patients should not be afraid to talk to their doctor about the various treatment options and the associated fears and doubts.
Not all treatment options are suitable for every patient, but there are one or more alternative forms of treatment for every patient, according to the
German Cancer Society
.
Prostate cancer: When does palliative treatment start?
However, if the cancer has spread to distant areas such as bones, lungs or liver, the chances of recovery are very poor in most cases.
At that point, palliative treatment follows, which aims to stop the tumor from spreading and maintain the patient's quality of life as much as possible.
In addition to further hormone or chemotherapy, the main focus is on relieving the pain.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.