Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Treating Prostate Cancer

If you find out you have cancer, you should discuss your treatment options with a radiation oncologist, a cancer doctor who specializes in treating disease with radiation therapy, and a urologist, a surgeon who specializes in the urinary tract. Prostate cancer treatment options include:

• Surgery - a surgeon, usually a urologist, surgically removes the tumor.
• External beam radiation therapy - a radiation oncologist directs high energy radiation to kill the cancer cells.
• Prostate brachytherapy - a radiation oncologist surgically implants high energy radiation seeds to kill cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy - an oncologist gives medication to stop the production of hormones that help tumors grow.
• Chemotherapy - a medical oncologist prescribes medication to kill cancer cells.
• Cryosurgery - an oncologist freezes the tumor.

Sometimes a combination of treatments is best for your cancer, such as surgery followed by external beam radiation. Some men can safely postpone treatment and watch it closely until treatment is needed. This is called watchful waiting or active surveillance.