Prostate cancer treatment in India

Many patients suffering from prostate cancer prefer having their prostate cancer treatment in India. The walnut-sized gland producing seminal fluid for nourishing and transporting sperm in men is known as the prostate. Cancer that begins in the gland cells of the prostate in men is prostate cancer. It is essential to recognize Prostate cancer symptoms and prostate cancer treatment. While this type of cancer is quite common in men, it can be treated easily when discovered at an early stage. Most often, this cancer is restricted to the prostate and grows slowly not causing any severe harm. Some prostate cancer does not even need treatment or only minimal treatment while some spread fast and aggressively requiring the best prostate cancer treatment. When this cancer is diagnosed at an early stage where the growth is only in the prostate gland, it can be successfully treated.

Prostate cancer symptoms

There may not be any sign or symptom pointing to a possible situation of prostate cancer at the early stage. However, when it has advanced to a later stage, some of the signs start showing up. A few symptoms to look out for are,

• Trouble when urinating
• Force in the stream of urine decreases
• Blood found in urine
• Blood found in semen
• Pain in the bones
• Unplanned and unusual weight loss
• Erectile dysfunction

If any of these symptoms persist, then it is time to consult with a doctor and check possible prostate cancer treatment in India. As for the causes of prostate cancer, it is the same as any other cancer where the DNA in the cells starts mutating abnormally, growing rapidly without dying. These cells accumulate to become a tumor that can break and metastasize to other organs. However, there is no information on why these changes in DNA occur in the first place.

Risks that increase the possibility of prostate cancer

• With aging, the chances of prostate cancer also increase. This cancer is more common amongst those above the age of 50.
• While we do not know the reason, the percentage of prostate cancer in black people is higher than in other races. It also seems to be more advanced and aggressive in black people.
• The risk of prostate cancer increases when a blood relative was previously diagnosed with the same. The risk also increases if the family has a history of breast cancer or there is a family history of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
• Obesity is also found to be a reason for increased chances of prostate cancer than those with a healthy weight. Also for obese people, cancer is found to be more aggressive and often returns.

Diagnosis of Prostate cancer

Initially, a prostate cancer screening is conducted either through a digital rectal exam or with a PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test. If there was any abnormality detected during these tests, then it demands further examination to confirm the possibility of prostate cancer and to determine the best course of prostate cancer treatment in India.

Some of the tests used for diagnosing prostate cancer include,

1. Transrectal ultrasound where a small probe is inserted into the rectum and it then uses soundwaves to determine the shape of the prostate gland.
2. MRI scan to get a detailed picture of the prostate and helps doctors to determine the best prostate cancer treatment for the patient.
3. Prostate biopsy where a sample of tissue is collected to later analyze in the lab for the possibility of prostate cancer.

Bone scans, PET, and CT scans are later performed to check the spread of cancer and to assign the stage of cancer that further helps in determining the prostate cancer treatment for the situation.

Prostate cancer treatment in India

Many factors have a bearing in deciding prostate cancer treatment in India like the health condition of the patient, the pace at which the cancer is growing, age, etc.

• Some low-grade severity of this cancer may not even need treatment but only active surveillance. The doctors will monitor the situation closely to see if the cancer progresses and if required surgery or treatment will be suggested in the future.
• Radical prostatectomy involves the removal of the prostate gland and surrounding tissues and a few lymph nodes. In the case of advanced cancer, surgery might be required in addition to other treatments like chemotherapy. The surgery is carried out either by a single long incision in the abdomen or several smaller incisions around the abdomen. The latter is the most commonly used technique.
• Radiation therapy is also one of the prostate cancer treatments in India that uses high-energy beams to shrink or kill the cancer cells in the prostate.
• Cryotherapy or Cryoablation is where the prostate is frozen and thawed repeatedly eventually killing the cancer cells in the prostate gland.
• HIFU where the tissue of the prostate is heated using concentrated ultrasound causes the cancer cells to die.
• The cancer cells in the prostate gland use testosterone to grow. Using the right hormone therapy, the process can be halted, causing the cells to die and preventing further regrowth.
• Chemotherapy is also used where drugs are taken either in the form of a pill or an IV injection or both to kill cancer cells. This is often used along with other treatment options like surgery.
• Cancer cells produce protein due to which our body’s immune system fails to recognize them as an issue and fight them. immunotherapy blocks the production of these proteins, stimulating the natural immunity of the body to fight cancer cells effectively.
• Targeting specific abnormalities in cancer cells using drugs is also an option and the therapy is known as targeted drug therapy. This is used more in cases where there are genetic mutations and for recurrent and advanced cancer cases.

Depending on the risk factors, the health condition of the individual, age, other pre-existing medical conditions, etc., a doctor would prescribe the best possible course of prostate cancer treatment in India. You can get more information about the different prostate cancer treatments by visiting the clinic recommended by Tripo Heal.