Radiation therapy, also commonly known as radiotherapy, is the most frequently prescribed prostate cancer treatment. It is designed to kill off your cancerous cells with high energy radiation beams however even with the accurateness of the process today some normal body cells are inevitably also killed during radiotherapy sessions. This accounts for any side effects you may suffer from.

Radiotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment can be used for all stages of the disease. If you are diagnosed as having early stage prostate cancer then radiotherapy can often cure the disease without the need for surgery. Later stage cancers may require surgery followed by a course of radiotherapy and in terminal cases radiotherapy can still be used to relieve the pain associated with the disease.

There are two main ways in which radiation can be used as a prostate cancer treatment; internally and externally. The type of radiotherapy you receive will depend on your circumstances and the extent of your cancer. The prostate cancer treatment known as brachytherapy, or internal radiation, works by implanting microbeads of radioactive material directly into your cancerous tissue. These microbeads act to kill the cancerous cells in the immediate vicinity and only a very small number of normal body cells also become damaged. This will lead to you suffering from minor side effects such as urinary leakage and occasionally penile dysfunction however in some cases these are almost non-existent.

Having internal radiotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment will mean you have to undergo keyhole surgery however this is a one-time procedure and will only entail a short stay in hospital. External radiation is the more commonly used prostate cancer treatment. It will involve you travelling to the hospital on average five times per week and spending time underneath the radiation machine. In this case the radiation beam penetrates through the skin, muscle and fat before it reaches the cancerous tissue of the prostate and so many more normal body cells are damaged. Thus with this form of treatment you will often suffer with more severe and varied side effects than with the previous option.

With regards to the skin you may lose some of the pubic hair permanently and the area may become a little sore and dry however this is a small price to pay considering the potential outcome. Internally, you might suffer with incontinence, urinary and bowel discomfort and some degree of impotence as the tissues around the prostate gland are affected. Thankfully, advancements are continually being made that mean fewer normal body cells are damaged and so the side effects described may be minimal in your case.

Radiation therapy is a very effective prostate cancer treatment and although it can be gruelling and cause you to feel fatigued a lot of the time, it is well worth pursuing as a treatment.

Proton Prostate Cancer Therapy
All of the modern day men need to be attempting to put a smile on their face when facing the rather unfortunate disease, prostate cancer. The reason why they should have a braver face is because the proton prostate cancer therapy method of treatment could mean a specific way of addressing all of these problems that are associated with cancer efficiently and all of the complications that it normally brings along.

Proton prostate cancer therapy is the very last option for any patient that is suffering from prostate cancer. Most patients are on their hands and knees once they reach this expensive treatment as their only option because there isn't any other option for treatment after this. However, when it comes to solving cancer cases, proton prostate cancer therapy has proven to be rather victorious.

Incontinence is among the most damaging of the side effects that are associated with the radiation treatment that is given for prostate cancer. In the event that the urinary sphincter becomes damaged during the process of the radiation treatment, the individual patient is going to experience several different degrees of the urinary incontinence, which is an unwilled urinating action.

Even though this can be life-changing, there are some occasions when a corrective surgery may be applied. All of the serious cases of incontinence are rare without only one to three percent of men experiencing incontinence that are undergoing radiation treatment. When taking everything into consideration that is mentioned above concerning the radiation therapy defects, there is a new treatment that is accompanied by all of the latest technology that is referred to as the therapy for prostate treatment. Under this therapy, the probability of all of the side effects is going to be extremely less when compared to that of the radiation therapy.

This prostate cancer therapy is very helpful when it comes to solving problems like signs of prostate cancer such as the inability to urinate and a weak urine flow. Overall, this condition is extremely painful and it is going to be a hindrance to an individuals normal activities. Within the majority of cases, the blood within the urine or the semen is able to be found.

The presence of a burning sensation when you are urinating and pain within the lower back are also signs of prostate cancer. In the event that you are interested in learning more about prostate cancer and prostate cancer therapy have a consultation with your physician