How can my dad, 70, manage the side effects of prostate cancer?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I hope you are doing well, and I wish your father good health and a speedy recovery.

First of all, I am very sorry to hear that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, I would like to reassure you that prostate cancer has become much easier to treat nowadays, and there are multiple effective treatment modalities available.

One of the most important and commonly preferred options is active surveillance. This involves close and careful monitoring, also known as watchful active follow-up.

During this process, we regularly monitor the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels and assess the Gleason score. If the PSA level is less than 10 and the Gleason score is 7 or below, we usually recommend active surveillance.

Under this approach, a PSA test is done every three months, a clinical examination every six months, and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) along with a biopsy once a year. This option is preferred because it helps avoid unnecessary exposure to the potential hazards and side effects of aggressive treatment.

However, if the PSA level or the Gleason score is high, radiation therapy is the preferred treatment.

Radiation therapy is generally favored over surgical treatment, as surgery is associated with several significant side effects, including permanent urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and other complications.

For this reason, surgical treatment is usually avoided, especially in elderly patients.

Radiation therapy is preferred because it is precise, directly targets tumor cells, and works specifically on them. The side effects are usually mild and may include temporary gastrointestinal discomfort or mild urinary symptoms, which typically resolve within a maximum of two weeks after treatment.

Do follow up with me after seven days.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.