Introduction
Prostate cancer is the most common tumor disease in men but only the third most common cause of cancer death in men, which shows that although it is to be taken very seriously, in many cases it is cured or does not lead to death due to its slow growth. In about 15 percent of men develop prostate cancer during their lifetime, mostly around the age of 70. Age plays a major role as the strongest risk factor for the development of prostate cancer. In addition, ill family members and the place of living are also risk factors.
What are the general chances of recovery?
In general the chances of recovery are quite good. This type of cancer is characterized by slow growth and can therefore often be detected and cured in the early stages. Especially good, as with most cancers, are the early forms to treat and therefore cure.
If the cancerous tissue is not yet found outside the prostate, radiation, hormone therapy and/or surgery to remove the organ can cure the disease. In the case of very small ulcers, or those that occur when the patient is very old, usually nothing is done yet and only the spread is controlled at fixed intervals. The goal is not to treat all those prostate tumors that are unlikely to be fatal. This means that the highest goal in the treatment of prostate cancer is not necessarily the cure at any time, but quality of life and life expectancy.
What are the chances of cure when prostate cancer is detected in its early stages?
In the early stages, the chances of cure or even that the cancer will never cause symptoms are particularly good. By frequently checking the spread of the cancerous tissue, the time at which a therapy no longer exceeds the risks of the disease is first determined for very small ulcers. From then on, an operation can remove the entire organ and thus the entire cancerous tissue or use radiation to cause the cancer cells to disintegrate and thus lead to a cure.
In addition, hormone therapy is often administered to reduce the influence of testosterone on the tissue. Most patients are cured after such therapy of the early form of prostate cancer and have a similar life expectancy to those without the disease.
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Hormone therapy for prostate cancer
