Prostate Specialist

How Does Cancer Affect the Prostate?

Cancer causes the prostate to grow larger. This enlargement can affect urination since the prostate surrounds the urethra. The enlargement can frequently cause urinary incontinence, dribbling, hesitation, difficulty controlling a urine stream, and pain with ejaculation and urination in addition to blood in the urine and frequent nighttime urination. Pain in the abdomen, anemia, a low red blood cell count, pain the back or bones, weight loss, and lethargy may also occur.

What is Hormone Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer?

The goal of hormone therapy is to restrict the prostate cancer's hormonal fuel supply, thus slowing its growth. The male sex hormones (referred to as androgens), and particularly testosterone, can cause prostate cancer cells grow at accelerated rates both inside and outside of the gland. Hormone therapy stops this process and it will:

• Significantly lower testosterone levels
• Stop prostate cancer cells from utilizing any low levels of androgens

Several doctors believe that it makes sense to begin this form of treatment right away when the prostate cancer advances. The doctor might refer to it as androgen deprivation therapy. There are many different hormone therapy medications. The doctor can provide you with one or multiple forms, including:

• GnRH agents- these essentially block or stop the body from making luteinizing hormone which it needs to make testosterone.
• Anti-androgens- these completely block the prostate cancer cells from using androgens.
• Abiraterone acetate- stops cancer cells from producing androgens. This is for more advanced cases.

What is a Laparoscopic Prostatectomy?

When hormone therapy doesn’t work or if the cancer is very advanced, surgery may be necessary. The preferred method is the minimally invasive prostatectomy. This is a surgical treatment for prostate cancer. During this procedure, a few tiny hole incisions are made in order to excise the entire prostate. In addition to reduced bleeding and healing periods, one of the main advantages of a laparoscopic prostatectomy is that the nerves and vessels are magnified during the surgery, this makes saving them much easier. This can help to ensure that the patient can still participate in sexual activity following surgery. Plus, patients undergoing this procedure typically have the catheter removed sooner, there is less pain and discomfort, and patients can return to activities in roughly one to two weeks following the procedure.