It is also done in men who cannot have a radical prostatectomy because of age or other illnesses. Cryosurgery kills the cancer by freezing it. That is, other treatments are usually tried first. Radiation therapy is another way to treat prostate cancer. Radiation can come from a machine outside the body or from putting radioactive materials through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found.
Radiation can be the first therapy for prostate cancer, or it can be given following surgery.
Hormone therapy - uses various hormones to stop cancer cells from growing. It is used for prostate cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs can be given by pill, or may be put into the body by inserting a needle into a vein or muscle. Most commonly, chemotherapy is advised if the cancer does not respond to hormone therapy.