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11.12.2018 08:34:26
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer. 30% of all men with cancer have it. Experts suppose that every second man over the age of 75 has cancer cells in the prostate gland that are not painful in most cases.
The prostate is a chestnut-sized gland located in the males below the bladder. The prostate covers the upper part of the urethra. The gland produces fluid that during ejaculation is thrown out together with the spermatozoa to ensure their mobility.
Approximately half of the men diagnosed with prostate cancer are observed “only” actively. “First of all, a small, non-aggressive cancer may not grow for many years and decades and not lead to disorders,” says Richard Cathomas, deputy chief physician of oncology at the Cantonal Hospital Graubuenden. In such cases, treatment is not considered urgently needed. However, for many patients it is not easy to simply leave cancer without treatment. Therefore, there are other options: surgical removal of the entire prostate or exposure to rays. In these cases, patients fear incontinence or impotence. “It is necessary to discuss these fears separately,” says Cathomas. “Now there are many possibilities to preserve potency or, if it is reduced, to improve it.”
In order to fill the gap between “do nothing” and “completely remove” and solve the dilemma, more and more new methods appear on the market. “Focal” therapy is the magic word of the day in urology. It is a partial removal of the prostate. What sounds logical is questionable, though. These methods have not been tested in all the phases of clinical trials, and it is still unclear whether the amount of post-course treatment may decrease.
