Radiation treatment, however, also has side-effects. Half the patients treated have reported various types of impotence. The treatment is applied through an external beam that directs the radiation dose directly within the prostate to kill cancer cells. An experimental treatment with unknown long-term effectiveness due to inadequate data. The treatment involves killing the tumor's cells by freezing them.
Early results are very encouraging.
It helps block production or action of male hormones that have been shown to fuel prostate cancer. The most widely used and approved hormone blockers are Lupron, Casodex, Eulexin, Nilandron, and Zoladex. In some situations, the testicles are removed because they produce male hormones. It is recommended that patients commit to further research before making their final decision. The treatments mentioned above are in a summarized format.