Prostate cancer is a serious condition that affects men. It can be treated by multiple different methods and the prognosis is typically fairly good given a diagnosis in its early stages. Prostate cancer causes urinary problems and may result in decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction.
About the Condition
Prostate cancer is the cancer of the small, sperm-producing gland in men. It affects one in six men in the United States.There are usually no apparent symptoms associated with the early stages of prostate cancer, making it hard to diagnose. Most cases will become evident through urinary issues and complications. Some symptoms to look for and alert your doctor about include trouble urinating, decreased flow of urine, blood in your urine, discomfort in your pelvic region and blood in your semen. There are many methods that can be used to treat prostate cancer. Age, race, activity level and health history all play a role in determining the best regimen. The behavior of the individual's cancer is also heavily weighed in the decision process. The rate at which it is growing and whether and where it has spread are taken into account. When diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, prostate cancer sufferers have a good rate of survival.
Hormone Therapy
While it is true that there are many treatment methods, hormone therapy is used in a majority of cases. This treatment is administered to stop the body from producing testosterone, the male sex hormone. Prostate cancer grows and thrives when exposed to testosterone.This type of treatment is effective for only a short time, because it is not completely successful in killing all the cancer cells and eventually the cancer will learn to live and replicate without the testosterone.
What is testosterone?
Testosterone is the male hormone in the body. It is responsible for male characteristics such as facial hair and voice change. It also regulates the prostate. Testosterone helps the growth of cancerous cells and is prevented, through hormone therapy, from entering any existing cells.
How Does Hormone Therapy Work?
There are several ways that hormone therapy can be delivered. The most common method, by far, is by injections or pills with the intention of stopping testosterone production either temporarily or permanently. Oftentimes, estrogen, another hormone, is used to counteract the characteristics of testosterone. Large doses of estrogen will greatly slow testosterone production. Hormone treatment may also come in the form of surgery. In males, the testicles produce testosterone. Surgical removal prevents the growth of the prostate cancer.
Side Effects of Hormone Therapy
While it is the goal of hormone therapy to only destroy cancerous cells, it is sometimes the case that healthy cells and tissues will be either destroyed or damaged in the process. The major side effects and the more serious ones are erectile dysfunction, the inability to maintain erection during intercourse and urinary incontinence, the loss of bladder control.
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