While prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer for men around the world. The disease can greatly impact someone’s quality of life; however, it can be managed if it is diagnosed on time. The cancer-sick male populace, often fails to show signs, makes regular screening along with awareness all the more important for prevention.
Modern advancements in the field of medical science have enabled the detection and treatment of prostate cancer at an earlier stage. The range of conservatism is represented by cryotherapy while the more progressive approach is immunotherapy. With all these options, controlling the disease has become much more manageable.
Sensitivity To Detect Prostate Cancer
There, unfortunately, is no one single correct answer to screening methods; many have been suggested over time and the most commonly used are the following:
Blood Sample – PSA Test
- This is a protein created by the prostate gland. High levels may indicate further testing for prostate cancer.
- Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) is what this acronym represents.”
- Most doctors recommend screening at the age of 50, or earlier for those at high risk.
Typical PSA Level:
|
Age Group |
Normal PSA Range |
|
40–49 |
0–2.5 ng/mL |
|
50–59 |
0–3.5 ng/mL |
|
60–69 |
0–4.5 ng/mL |
|
70–79 |
0–6.5 ng/mL |
Digital Rectal Examination (DRE)
A simple physical examination in which the physician palpates the prostate to assess for any lumps or abnormal protuberances.
- DRE is often done along with the PSA test.
Confirming The Diagnosis
With screening tests suggestive of prostate cancer, further intervention may include:
Prostate Biopsy
A small piece of tissue from the prostate is extracted through a thin needle. The sample is analyzed microscopically for cancerous changes by a pathologist.
Imaging Scans
The patient may have MRI, CT scans, or bone scans to check the extent of spread of the cancer to other organs.
Effective Therapies
Surgical Prostatectomy: A radical approach
During the early clinical steps, a physician may suggest radical prostatectomy. It is the surgical removal of the prostate with adjacent regions and nearby lymph nodes.
The procedure is carried out either as open surgery or through robotic minimally invasive techniques.
In the majority of cases, the surgery is performed when the disease is local, i.e. the cancer is only within the prostate and has not spread to other areas. Post-operative recovery is quicker in robotic-assisted than in open surgery.
Surgical Options:
- Open / Robot Assistance
- Invasive Surgeries
- Definitive Therapy while the cancer is localized.
Hormone Therapy (Androgen Deprivation Therapy – ADT)
To arrest or slow down progression of cancer, hormone therapy works by reducing or blocking testosterone in the body. It is recommended in later stages or in cases where the disease relapses after getting treated multiple times.
During his therapy, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) there are various drugs employed each with distinctive pathways to control the hormone level.
Commonly Used Medications
Abiraterone (Zytiga)
As one of the ADT medications, Abiraterone averts testosterone production by blocking the enzyme CYP17. Abiraterone Price may vary depending on the manufacturer, availability of generics, and healthcare coverage.
Leuprolide (Lupron)
Leuprolide is an LHRH agonist that lowers testosterone by shutting brain signals. It is administered as sustained release subcutaneous or intramuscular injections. It is moderately priced and widely available.
Degarelix (Firmagon)
Degarelix is an LHRH antagonist which reduces testosterone levels quickly and does not cause an initial surge of hormones. It is lost as monthly subcutaneous injections. It is a newer therapy with a higher market cost.
Relugolix (Orgovyxe)
Unlike other castration methods, Relugolix uses no needles. The oral nature of the drug is more convenient to the patients as well as lowers the risk of cardiovascular complications in some patients.
Enzalutamide (Xtandi)
Enzalutamide stops the binding of testosterone to the cancerous prostate, halting the cells’ growth and further dissemination. Enzalutamide price is often discussed due to its role in long-term prostate cancer treatment and the need for cost-effective options.
Radiopharmaceutical Therapy
These are drugs which are delivered directly to the bloodstream. They specifically target cancer cells and dock onto them, releasing precise doses of radiation.
Example: Lutetium-177 PSMA Therapy
- It latches on to PSMA, a marker in Prostate cancer cells.
- It provides radiation on the lesions.
Benefits:
- It attacks only the malignant cells while spare the tissues with minimal side effects.
- It can control pain and prolong survival in the terminal phase.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)
HIFU or ultrasound surgery is a type of incisionless surgery for prostate cancer that uses focused ultrasound waves to melt away and destroy cancerous portions of the prostate.
It is commonly used for localized or early-stage prostate cancer. Furthermore, it is offered in clinical trial settings or specialized medical institutions.
This method may not be as readily available as other treatment options, but it offers a no incision procedure which may preserve healthy tissues and reduce the risks of harm associated with surgical treatment for prostate cancer. The procedure’s long-term effects are still being researched.
- Minimally invasive with less impact on the body
- Concentrates on the tumour and protects the surrounding healthy tissues
- Scarcity and limited longitudinal research are key drawbacks
Cryotherapy (Cryoablation)
Cryotherapy, cryoablation, is the use of low temperature gases and tiny needles to freeze prostate cancer cells. It is used mostly at the early stage of prostate cancer, or when radiation therapy is not an option or has failed. Compared to surgery, the procedure is less invasive, can be repeated multiple times if needed, and does not require a long hospital admission.
Bone-Targeted Therapies
Approaches that treat advanced prostate cancer with regard to bone metastases seek to protect, fortify, and sustain the underlying frameworks. These are intended to reduce fracture incidence and pain while also cancerous lesion burden within the tissues.
The therapies carry potential risks of increased calcium levels and alterations in renal functions which require close monitoring, scrutiny, or attention to maintain therapeutic safety and effectiveness.
Other options are:
- RANKL Inhibitors
- Bisphosphonates
Immunotherapy Sipuleucel-
Sipuleucel-T immunotherapy is an example of a personalized anti-cancer vaccine constructed by utilizing the patient’s own immune cells. In this process, a patient’s immune cells are isolated, educated to identify and exterminate prostate cancer cells in vitro, and then they are reinfused into the patient.
This therapy is suitable for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, particularly those with low to moderate distressing symptoms and a mild disease course.
It augments the capacity of the immune system to detect and destroy neoplastic cells and is complicated with the concept of survival even if PSA level declines, longevity potential increases.
Achieving this is, however, extraordinarily difficult and costly which renders it suitable for selective patients.
