Surgery to completely remove the prostate can extend life by as much as 20 years in men suffering from advanced cancer of this organ, say specialists from the Mayo Clinic.
Many men with prostate cancer are afraid of radical surgery because one of its complications is urinary incontinence and impotence. That is why some people choose the less invasive methods like radiotherapy and hormone therapy. But it is less effective – argued Dr. R. Jeffrey Karnes from the Mayo Clinic urology clinic during the American Urological Association conference in Washington.
The American urologist referred to an unpublished survival study of men with prostate cancer who were treated at the Mayo Clinic in 1987-1997. Radical prostatectomy (complete removal of the prostate) extended life by 20% by 80 years. patients who, according to the TNM classification, had an advanced form of the disease, the so-called stage T3c. This is how oncologists identify tumors that infiltrate beyond the prostate capsule on one or both sides and beyond the seminal vesicles.
Men with prostate cancer in the T2c stage, which is already involved in both lobes of this organ, but the tumor has not yet invaded, have an even greater chance of survival. As much as 90 percent these patients were alive 20 years after the operation.
Radical prostatectomy is the primary surgical procedure in the treatment of prostate cancer. It involves the removal of the entire prostate gland along with the surrounding tissues and seminal vesicles.
This method is also recommended for men with the so-called an aggressive form of prostate cancer, i.e. a rapidly growing tumor of the prostate gland. This is indicated by studies on 1 patients treated in 850-1988, conducted by Dr. Stephen Boorjian, urologist at the Mayo Clinic. They showed that after such treatment, 2004 percent. patients with aggressive prostate cancer were still alive 92 years after surgery.
According to Dr. Boorjian, men after radical prostate surgery have 50 percent better chances of survival than those who are treated with radiation therapy and hormone replacement therapy. It does not really matter what age the patient is or what his general state of health is.
Do you need to undergo prostate surgery? Familiarize yourself with the detailed offers and select the facility where you will perform the procedure.
Other studies indicate that the choice of treatment method is of little importance only in men with prostate cancer in the early stage of development (when the tumor is confined to the prostate gland and is not aggressive). Dr. Benny Holmstrom from Gvle Hospital in Sweden even says that these patients do not need to undergo surgery immediately.
The scientist cites a study of 2 men treated in Sweden in 566-1997, which suggests that in the case of cancer in the early stages of development, the decision to undergo surgery can be postponed. During this time, you only need to closely monitor the disease: regularly perform PSA tests (blood levels of prostate-specific antigen produced by prostate gland cells) and possibly undergo a prostate biopsy.
Dr. Benny Holmstrom says that patients who underwent surgery only 19 months after diagnosis lived almost as long after 8 years as those who underwent surgery within 3 months after tumor detection. The Swedish urologist makes a reservation, however, that only longer observations can ultimately decide whether it is worth delaying prostate cancer surgery.
Subsequent studies suggest that such conservative management is safe in elderly men aged 66 and over. This conclusion is prompted by the observations of Dr. Peter Albertsen from the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. They show that patients at this age who are diagnosed with the tumor at an early stage, more often die in the next 10 years for reasons other than prostate cancer. (PAP)
See also: Experts: PSA tests for prostate cancer do more harm than good
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