Possibilities of treating prostate cancer

By: Groshan Fabiola Posted on: 2007-04-18 Downloads: 111 ** Print Article ** ** Copy Article ** Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5  Not yet Rated

Article Summary: In order to prevent prostate cancer scientists are trying to find abnormal genes that are related to this disease and so identify those who are at risk of developing prostate cancer

In order to prevent prostate cancer scientists are trying to find abnormal genes that are related to this disease and so identify those who are at risk of developing prostate cancer.
For these people special treatment will be instituted earlier in order to stop the disease from occurring.

Nowadays the scientists use the DNA micro-array technology for studying many genes at the same time and discover those that are related to prostate cancer. This screening could save a lot of time and could replace the currently used PSA blood test.

DNA micro-array identified a product of one gene (named EZH2) that seems to appear more frequently in advanced prostate cancers than in early staged cancers. Scientists want to find out if this gene product signalizes that the cancer is more aggressive or not. This could help doctors decide whether that form of cancer needs treatment or must only be supervised carefully.

Researchers have discovered that tomato and soybeans contain some substances that are useful in preventing prostate cancer (lycopenes and isoflavones). Vitamins are also useful: vitamin D, E and selenium decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

A new clinical trial has been developed in order to see if patients with prostate cancer respond to medication that decreases the level of the androgen hormone called DHT. These drugs (Finasteride and dutasteride) have been used until now only for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Staging prostate cancer is very important for doctors because it helps them institute the most proper treatment. CT and MRI are not so efficient in this case. Instead, enhanced MRI is quite helpful because it detects the possible cancer cells in the lymph nodes.

As a possibility of treatment is surgery. The radical prostatectomy could have some risks. If the nerves that control erection have to be removed the man will end up being impotent. Doctors are testing a replacement of those nerves with the Sural nerve but they are not positive about the usefulness of this technique.

Radiation therapy is also possible. If using conformal radiation therapy (CRT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) the radiation will be directed straight to the prostate gland and affect less other normal tissues.

Chemotherapy seems to be effective in prostate cancer too. Chemotherapy drugs can be successfully used in combination with other drugs like: Taxotere associated with Calcitriol, a form of vitamin D.

A vaccine has also been tested with amazing results on prostate cancer patients. This vaccine is not like the others that are designed to prevent a disease. This is made to treat advanced prostate cancer by increasing the immune system’s response to cancer cells. The vaccine has been made out of a genetically engineered protein and a dendritic cell provided from the patient’s bloodstream. Three shots of the vaccine (Provenge) were made over the course of a month. The immune system will react and will activate immune T-cells to find and destroy the cancer cells.

Monoclonal antibody treatment can also be applied in this case. They stimulate the body’s natural cell-killing mechanism or they carry a radioactive molecule that will destroy the cancerous cell.

Another treatment is using angiogenesis inhibitors. These drugs prevent the growth of blood vessels and so, the tumor cells will not be nourished any more.

Sometimes the prostate cancer spreads in the body and affects the bones. For stopping the bone pain doctors use radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and CT. with this technique they will destroy the tumor by heating it.

For recovering patients are advised to adopt a certain lifestyle. They must not eat meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products, keep an active lifestyle and even perform yoga.

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

About the Author:
Groshan Fabiola
For more information about prostate cancer prevention and about early symptoms prostate cancer please review this web site http://www.prostate-cancer-center.com