Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in males over the age of 65, but it can impact males as young as in their thirties. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at one time in their life. If you have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you may be at a loss for words as to how you're going to combat this disease. Luckily, there are a variety of different treatment options that can be used. Read on to learn more. 

Radiation

Radiation treatment is one of the most popular options for prostate cancer patients. By shooting tiny beams of laser radiation into your prostate, radiation treatment targets individual cancer cells and gets rid of them in the process. If your tumor is smaller, your oncologist may recommend this as your number one treatment option because it can treat smaller areas. One thing to be aware of with radiation, however, is that because your prostate is so close to your bladder, radiation can sometimes nip your bladder and cause permanent incontinence. 

Surgery

If your tumor is exceptionally large or contained to one area, your oncologist may recommend surgery. By removing a part of your prostate, surgery is great at getting rid of your entire tumor at one time. With prostate surgery, your surgeon will likely use a laser to help make a small incision on your prostate and then cut the prostate and remove it. The laser makes it so that your incision is smaller and your recovery time is faster. Some patients are wary of surgery, however, because it is a lengthier and more intense recovery process compared to radiation alone. 

Depending on how advanced and aggressive your prostate cancer is, your oncologist may recommend that you do a combination of these treatments. If your cancer has spread to other parts of your body, your oncologist may recommend that you undergo chemotherapy as well. The great news about prostate cancer is that as long as it is caught early on, it is easily treated and can even be curable.

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that can easily be treated with a combination of treatments such as radiation or surgery. If you have prostate cancer and would like to learn more about your treatment options, contact your oncologist today to discuss your options.