Treatment and diet can influence prostate cancer life expectancy
By Elliott Campbell
Many things can influence prostate cancer life expectancy, including treatment and diet.
Even with the advancement of cancer research, many men with an aggressive form of prostate cancer have been told that it is untreatable. This usually means that the patient must watch and wait. They do nothing to improve their chances of survival.
New Studies Offer Hope
However, a new study offers some hope for increasing prostate cancer life expectancy. Surgical removal of the prostate or radiation treatment has been found to double life expectancy compared to those who do not receive either of these treatments. It has been found that patients who receive radiation or a prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate gland), even with the most aggressive non-metastatic prostate cancer, have a life expectancy of more than 14 years.
Some doctors believe that aggressive forms of prostate cancer are beyond a cure. The more doctors whose point of view changes, the more likely that prostate cancer life expectancy will increase for many others.
Treatments to Extend Prostate Cancer Life Expectancy
There are several treatments that will extend the prostate cancer life expectancy for patients. One drug called Taxotere, has also been used for women with advanced breast cancer. The prostate cancer life expectancy in men who took Taxotere increased by nearly 20%, making this drug a standard therapy of care for patients. Like with most drugs, side effects can be expected. The most severe side effects were nausea, anemia and hair loss. Men with prostate cancer who were treated with Taxotere survived an additional 18 months while those who did not receive Taxotere lived only 15 months longer. While three months may not seem live a significant difference, it does show that progress in treatment for prostate cancer is moving in the right direction.
Radical prostatectomy involves removing the entire prostate gland. Complications exist as they do with any other type of surgery. However, some men may experience incontinence or impotence. The mortality rate is very low for this treatment.
More Hopeful Research on Prostate Cancer Life Expectancy Treatments
A study that was conducted by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center found that when animals were given an experimental drug, either they remained precancerous, or the prostate developed benign enlargements. Seventy-four percent of the animals that were not given the drug developed advanced prostate cancer. Most American men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer will die if untreated and the cancer metastases. Medical science is constantly looking for ways to not only improve prostate cancer life expectancy, but to also improve the quality of life for patients.
About the author
Elliott Campbell owns and operates http://www.CancerProstateGuide.com Cancer Of The Prostate from http://www.FreeArticlesAndContent.com
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