Treatment options

 

Some people may not require any treatment for their prostate cancer and it can be kept under active surveillance. This may involve having regular PSA tests, MRI scans and sometimes biopsies to ensure any signs of progression are found as early as possible.

 

A radical prostatectomy is the surgical removal of your prostate gland. The treatment is an option for curing prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate or has not spread very far.

All prostatectomies are performed using our state-of-the-art Da Vinci robots. Unlike traditional surgical methods this avoids you having the trauma of a large incision in your abdomen and your organs moved about. Instead the cutting edge machines allow surgeons to use a control console to manoeuvre the robots’ arms, whilst using a minimally invasive approach, also known as keyhole surgery. As a result, patients benefit from a shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery, reduced blood loss and discomfort post-surgery and much more.

The procedure, which is performed using a general anaesthetic, takes around one-and-a-half hours and if you meet certain criteria you may even be sent home to recover the same day. Our team will also teach you how to remove your own catheter, which will avoid you returning to hospital again seven days after your surgery.

Find out more about cancer surgery at Royal Surrey.

 

Brachytherapy is a form of radiotherapy where the radiation dose is delivered inside the prostate gland. The radiation is delivered using a number of tiny radioactive seeds surgically implanted into the tumour. It is usually a day case treatment and patients can quickly return back to their daily routine. It may be used alone or in combination with hormone therapy or conventional radiotherapy depending on the nature of the cancer.  Brachytherapy has the same high success rate as radical surgery in treating prostate cancer but may have fewer side effects such as urinary leakage and impotence. It is best suited to men with a small prostate and few urinary symptoms.

Learn more about brachytherapy at Royal Surrey Cancer Centre.

 

Radiotherapy involves using radiation to kill cancerous cells. It can be used to cure prostate cancer that has not spread very far from the prostate gland. It can also be used to slow the progression of prostate cancer that has spread and relieve the symptoms.

Read more about radiotherapy treatment at Royal Surrey Cancer Centre.

 

Prostate cancer is fed by the male hormone, testosterone. Hormone therapy blocks the production of testosterone and aims to stop the growth and spread of the cancer, in some cases shrinking it.

It is often recommended for patients with advanced prostate cancer and initially given as an oral tablet. Although, some patients may also receive an injection that will be administered by your GP.

This may be your main treatment or be given in combination with other treatments, such as radiotherapy or brachytherapy.

More information about hormone therapy is available here.

 

Xofigo® is a treatment for patients with prostate cancer that has spread to the bones. It can help to relieve bone pain, slow disease progression and reduce the likelihood of complications, such as bone fractures. It has been shown to improve life expectancy.

Read more about Xofigo® .