Combining Therapies for Prostate Cancer
There are many approaches to tackling prostate cancer, and one very effective method is combining therapies. The approach and treatment depend a lot on an individual patient’s condition and what stage they are at. However, combining therapies has proven to be very effective.
There are two types of therapy, in particular, that combined have shown great success in clinical trials. That is to say, they kept most test patients’ prostate cancer in check for around 5 years. In fact, around 90% of them.
The treatment we are talking about involves combining pelvic lymph node radiation with androgen deprivation therapy.
What do studies say about combining therapies?
First of all, it was noted during the trials that the patients who did not undergo both therapies combined had a lower survival rate. Over the 5-year period, it was about 70%.
This combination of therapies is especially effective in men who have had a case of recurring prostate cancer after surgery. It has shown itself to be the most effective approach in these cases.
This is encouraging news since prostate cancer, second only to skin cancer, is the most common type of cancer in the US. It affects around 1 in 8 men. As we have discussed in previous posts, prostate cancer doesn’t have a lot of signs the disease is forming early on. That is why the screening process is so important, and why it’s so thorough and performed on men past a certain age.
Most commonly doctors diagnose patients with prostate cancer if their PSA levels are high.
Can there be resurgences post-surgery?
When men undergo surgery for prostate cancer, in most cases what is called a prostatectomy. This entails removing the prostate altogether via surgery. Following this process, the patient’s PSA levels ought to go down to 0.
However, there are cases in which men’s PSA levels begin to rise again post-op. Sometimes even years later.
This is typically when doctors opt for radiation therapy as a necessity. Usually, this has solid results in men with prostate cancer and who have undergone a prostatectomy. Particularly if they receive said treatment early on.
Combining radiation therapy with the aforementioned treatments, like hormone therapies, tends to yield even better results. An approach that is highly beneficial to men post-surgery, as shown in the latest studies.
So if you have undergone surgery, and have recently had a rise in PSA levels once again. Know that there are plenty of solutions out there, and that you are not alone. There is always hope.
Check our resources section for further information. Where you can also find inspiration from success and survival stories. Or we can help you connect with a prostate cancer survivor.
If you have any questions, or just want to talk, call us at our toll-free hotline: 1(833)HEAL-MEN. You are not alone in this journey. We are here to help guide and support you through it, every step of the way.
