Because so many treatment options exist, your treatment should be a carefully weighed decision involving you, your family, and your doctor. One of the treatment options is watchful waiting. Because prostate cancer usually grows so slowly, symptoms may not appear for years, and men generally develop the disease late in life, a period of observation is one of your choices. Watchful waiting avoids the side effects and discomfort caused by any treatment. However, as the disease progresses, more active treatments may seem appropriate.
Treatment depends on the stage of prostate cancer.
In early stages, getting rid of the cancer or destroying tumor cells is the primary objective. If the cancer has reached an advanced stage, there is too much tumor to eradicate. Therefore, the goal becomes slowing the cancer's growth. Prostate cancer grows with male hormones such as testosterone, which is primarily made in the testicles. This strategy is called hormonal therapy.