There are several treatment options available for cancer that is
contained within the prostate (localised prostate cancer). Your
doctor or nurse will explain all your options and help you choose
the right treatment for you.
See a list of treatments for localised prostate cancer.
If you have been diagnosed with localised prostate cancer this
means your test results suggest your cancer
has not spread outside of the prostate gland. Because of this, most
treatments for localised prostate cancer aim to get rid of the
cancer.
There is no overall best treatment for localised prostate
cancer. Each treatment has its own advantages and disadvantages,
and side effects. Treatments will affect men differently, and you
may not get all of the side effects. Think about the side effects
and how you would cope with them.
If you would like to discuss your options, call our Specialist
Nurses.
Do I need treatment?
Many prostate cancers grow very slowly and may never cause
symptoms or harm in a man's lifetime. If you have a slow growing
cancer, the side effects of treatment may be worse than any
problems caused by the cancer. You might therefore prefer to avoid
or delay the treatment and any side effects by having your cancer
monitored.
There are two options for monitoring prostate cancer:
Choosing a treatment
Which treatment you choose may depend on several things. You
might like to discuss some of the following factors with your
doctor or nurse:
- whether your cancer is low, medium or high risk
- your general health and age, for example, if you have any other
medical conditions such as heart disease
- what the treatment involves
- the possible side effects
- the advantages and disadvantages
- your views about different treatments - for example, some men
prefer to have their prostate gland removed, while others may not
like the idea of surgery
In most cases there is no urgency to decide which treatment to
have. If you need more time, just ask. It might help to write down
any questions you have to ask at your next appointment.
See a list of treatments for localised prostate cancer.