Prostate cancer: how is it treated?
Deciding on the right treatment for prostate cancer will depend on a number of factors including age, overall health, how far the cancer has progressed (that is, the stage) and the grade of the cancer.
It is very important that all men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are fully informed about the options available to them, and about why some treatments may or may not be suitable. Because prostate cancer is usually a slow growing cancer there is time to ask about the options available and talk this over with your doctor or family or someone who has been through a similar experience.
The stage and grade of a prostate cancer are important in deciding the best treatment. The stage refers to how far the cancer has developed. The cancer could be confined to the prostate, it could have spread to the tissues around the prostate gland, or it may have spread to more distant parts of the body such as the lymphatic system or the bones.
The grade of a prostate cancer is usually determined by a pathologist who looks at the cancer through a microscope. Grade is generally defined by a Gleason score, as a number from 2 (the least aggressive) to 10 (the most aggressive).
It is the best indicator of how fast the cancer is growing and therefore the likelihood that it will become more of a problem if it is not treated. A very high prostate specific antigen (PSA) level may also indicate an aggressive cancer.
The less aggressive the cancer, the less likely it is to cause trouble in a man’s lifetime. For a relatively young man with an aggressive cancer that appears not to have spread outside the prostate, most urologists would probably recommend radical surgery.
For another man with an apparently non-aggressive cancer or one that has already spread outside the prostate, active treatment might not be recommended. For cases that fall in between these 2 scenarios, it is hard to generalise about usual treatment.
For further information and advice, call the Cancer Helpline on 13 11 20.
Last Reviewed: 08 November 2001
