Database of diseases - Cancer diseases

    

Prostate, otherwise prostate or prostate gland is a chestnut-sized gland that produces important sperm components. Cancer of this gland is one of the most common types of cancer.


In the treatment of prostate cancer, we use the following therapeutic methods:

- surgery
- radiotherapy
- hormonotherapy
- chemotherapy



Decides about the choice of treatment method:

- the severity of the disease
- cancer severity
- coexisting diseases,
- age of the patient
- as well as the patient's personal wishes as to the method of treatment


In simplified terms, the following stages of disease can be distinguished:

- asymptomatic cancer - the initial phase of the disease
- locally advanced prostate cancer
- highly advanced prostate cancer - so-called generalized cancer disease, which is accompanied by metastases (the so-called disseminated neoplastic disease)


Assessment of prostate cancer malignancy

Currently, it is believed that cytological diagnosis is not sufficient to determine the degree of malignancy of the cancer. Histological assessment of the degree of malignancy determining the prognosis of survival is possible only through histological examination.


The advancement of prostate cancer and the selection of the optimal treatment method/6/

In patients with prostate cancer a locally advanced standard is called radical treatment - surgery. Surgery is often supplemented or aided with radiotherapy. However, the final choice of means is also dependent on the degree of malignancy of the cancer, coexisting diseases, age of the patient and the wishes of the patient as to the choice of treatment method. In advanced prostate cancer, palliative hormonal therapy is used in patients with sensitive hormone receptors. The criterion for qualifying for palliative treatment may be the concentration of the PSA marker in the patient's blood serum exceeding 50 ng / ml before the treatment is implemented.
 

Treatment of asymptomatic prostate cancer

Currently, asymptomatic prostate cancer can be detected thanks to the PSA marker. This first, clinically asymptomatic phase of the disease, significantly preceding the stage of neoplastic metastases, can now be detected and analyzed for approximately 7-12 months. Thanks to this, you can accurately observe and improve the effects of hormonotherapy or chemotherapy on the run. You can better control it - and, as a result, prevent the disease from developing.

Literature
1 Hormonal cancer treatment; Current status and perspectives; Elżbieta Senkus-Konefka from the Oncology and Radiotherapy Clinic of the Medical Academy in Gdańsk; Head of the Clinic: prof. dr hab. med. Jacek Jassem; New Medicine - Oncology V (10/2000).
2 / European Urology - supplement - Selection of patients for therapy in prostate cancer E. David Crawford Department of Urology at the University of Colorado
3. "Chemical treatment of breast cancer" Dr. med. Tadeusz Pieńkowski - Head of the Sutka Cancer Clinic - Center of Oncology - Instytut im. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie in Warsaw
4. Chemotherapy directed against bone metastases in patients with advanced androgen-dependent prostate cancer; Lancet 2001; 357: 336
5. Warsaw (PAP) - Oral hormone therapy gives good results in the treatment of prostate cancer in men with early stages of the disease - reports BBC News. / 2001-05-14
6. Prostate cancer: diagnosis and treatment; Tomasz Chwaliński from the Department of Urinary Tract Cancer, Center of Oncology - Instytut im. Maria Skłodowska-Curie in Warsaw; Nowa Medycyna notebook 113 (5-6 / 2001)
7 / Your Prostate - Ched Cunningham PZWL, 1994.
8. Outline of chemotherapy of organ and systemic tumors, Prof. dr hab. med. Krystyna Orzechowska-Juzwenko; Volumed 2000

The presence of numerous hormone receptors in tumor cells facilitates treatment

The presence of hormone receptors in cancer cells may be decisive for the efficacy of prostate cancer treatment.The effectiveness of hormone therapy for prostate cancer depends to a large extent on the elimination of the carcinogenic effect of excess androgens. This is done by blocking hormone receptors (estrogen and progestagen) in cancer cells. The presence of numerous hormone receptors in the cancer cells collected for the study is a promising factor in curing.


Hormone therapy and early stages of prostate cancer

Hormone therapy can be effective in suppressing the development of prostate cancer if it is used at a sufficiently early stage of the disease. Then, oral hormone therapy may also be effective - according to Dr. David Dearnley from the Institute of Cancer Research, he assesses the initial results of tests using oral hormone therapy as very encouraging. / 4 /




When is the patient cured?

It is believed that only 15 years of observation of patients entitles them to be cured.


In Poland, he suffers from prostate cancer, about 20 per 100,000 men. Among 80-year-olds, this percentage increases to 80 per 100,000 men. In recent years, a decrease in the age of men suffering from this cancer has been observed.


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