Also, treatment may not be advised for older men or men with other serious medical problems. Researchers are studying men with early stage prostate cancer to determine when and in whom treatment may be necessary and effective. Treatment for prostate cancer may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy. Sometimes, patients receive a combination of these treatments. In addition, doctors are studying other methods of treatment to find out whether they are effective against this disease.
Surgery is a common treatment for the early stages of prostate cancer.
Surgery to remove the entire prostate is called radical prostatectomy. It is done in one of two ways. In retropubic prostatectomy, the prostate and nearby lymph nodes are removed through an incision in the abdomen. In perineal prostatectomy, the prostate is removed through an incision between the scrotum and the anus. Nearby lymph nodes are sometimes removed through a separate incision in the abdomen.