It is a simple outpatient procedure routinely performed in a doctor's office. If diagnosis is prostate cancer, Sanda says the doctor will explain the treatment options available, depending on the patient's age and type of cancer. According to Sanda, the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center is looking for patients to participate in a large clinical trial comparing the side effects of different types of prostate cancer therapies. It's important not to let fear of side effects, such as urinary incontinence and impotence, prevent men from being screened or treated for prostate cancer, adds Sanda. This is an appropriate concern for patients, but there have been significant advances in surgical and radiation treatment.
Patients now have a much lower risk of long-term side effects than has traditionally been the case.
Patients should discuss the timing of treatment with their physician to develop a plan that's suitable for them, their family and their doctor. Although age is a risk factor for prostate cancer, the disease is more dangerous in men in their 50s and early 60s than in older men. This is why it is so important for men to begin screening before the age of 60. Prostate cancer in older men is often a slower growing and less dangerous variety. A family history of prostate cancer on either the father's or mother's side increases your risk of developing the disease.