Other side effects that can occur after orchiectomy and other hormone therapies include hot flashes, impaired sexual function, and loss of desire for sex. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by inserting a needle into a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells outside the prostate. To date, chemotherapy has not had significant value in treating prostate cancer, but clinical trials are in progress to find more effective drugs.
Biological therapy tries to get the body to fight cancer.
It uses materials made by the body or made in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against disease. Treatment by Stage Treatment of cancer of the prostate depends on the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and overall health. A doctor may choose to follow the patient's condition more closely rather than starting treatment immediately. This decision depends on whether the patient has symptoms of the disease, is elderly, has another more serious illness, or has only slightly abnormal tumor cells. Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in patients in past studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered.