Key Takeaways:
- Different treatment options for prostate cancer include watchful waiting, active surveillance, radiation therapy with hormones, brachytherapy, and surgery.
- A patient’s overall health and individual circumstances should be taken into consideration when deciding on a treatment plan.
- It is important to be aware of the potential side effects of each treatment option and work closely with a doctor to develop a tailored treatment plan.
In this video, Dr. Amar Jay Raval of Advanced Urology Institute discusses the different treatment options for prostate cancer. He first mentions watchful waiting, where patients are aware of their cancer but do not take any action. He then discusses active surveillance, where patients with low risk or low volume intermediate risk prostate cancer are monitored through regular check-ups and biopsies, and treatment is initiated if the cancer advances or progresses to a higher stage. Other treatment options include radiation therapy with hormones, brachytherapy, and surgery, which can be done through an open, laparoscopic, or robotic approach.
Dr. Raval acknowledges that prostate cancer can be a confusing type of cancer and encourages patients to have a long conversation with their doctor to understand all of the available options. One interesting point he makes is the importance of considering a patient’s overall health and individual circumstances when deciding on a treatment plan. For example, an older patient with other health conditions may not be a good candidate for surgery, and radiation therapy may be a better option.
Another point that Dr. Raval highlights is the importance of understanding the potential side effects of each treatment option. Surgery, for example, can lead to complications such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Patients need to be fully informed of the risks and benefits of each treatment option to make an informed decision.
Overall, Dr. Raval provides a clear and concise overview of the different treatment options for prostate cancer. It is important for patients to take an active role in their own care and work closely with their doctor to develop a treatment plan that is tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.
TRANSCRIPTION:
My name is Amar Jay Raval and I’m with Advanced Urology Institute.
So the first, you know, is watchful waiting.
That’s, you know, knowing that you have prostate cancer but you don’t really want to do anything
about it.
Active surveillance is when you’re diagnosed with either low risk or low volume intermediate
risk prostate cancer.
You follow it up with PSAs and digital rectal exams every three to six months and then biopsies
subsequently.
And then if it advances or it’s a higher stage, then you treat it.
Then there’s also radiation therapy with hormones, brachytherapy, and then of course, surgery,
which is a radical prostatectomy can be done open or laparoscopically or robotically.
And so there’s plenty of options out there.
It can be a very confusing type of cancer to have.
And I think it warrants a long conversation with the patient so they know all the options
that are available.
Sources:
- “Prostate Cancer Risk Factors.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 January 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/risk_factors.htm.
- “Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer.” American Cancer Society, 16 September 2021, https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/treating/radiation-therapy.html.
- “Types of Treatment for Prostate Cancer.” Cancer.Net, American Society of Clinical Oncology, 21 August 2020, https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/types-treatment.
