The carcinoma of the prostate (prostate gland) is the most frequent cancer disease at men. Most of these cancers remain latent, producing no signs of symptoms or are indolent, that they can only be discovered by an early recognition check-up and can be treated with the goal of healing.
If the doctor may found a prostate carcinoma during a medical check-up, he will take a tissue specimen by needle biopsy for a reliable confirmation.
There are several choices regarding treatment. It depends on the type and the grade of the tumor as well as the individual needs of the patient: in an early stage it can actually be treated by Seed-Implantation (less invasive capture of radioactive 125-iodine-radiations into the prostate) or by surgery and radiation.
To the moment of the diagnosis of prostate cancer, in one third of the patients, the tumor has already invaded other organs. In other words: tumor spread metastases. At this time the disease is no longer curable, but one can treat it yet.
Further spread can be delayed by radiation-, chemo-, or hormone-therapy. There are good healing chances, if no metastasesexist yet and the cancer is restricted on the prostate. Life depends on an early diagnosis, therefore men should go to a medical check-up regularly.
Prevention:
After a US-study, Prostate patients can hold its PSA-value longer stable, if they drink a glass of pomegranate juice daily. In this study, the drink extended the time, in that the value of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubles itself, from 15 to 54 months. This means from nearly one year to almost 5 years. The PSA-value applies as an indicator to a prostate tumor.
Da Vinci®-new surgical system, introduced on TV on the 26 July 2006. The robotic-assisted technology of the Da Vinci® Prostatectomy incorporates the latest advancements of the conventional laparoscopy.
It is an ultra-modern, less invasive approach to prostate removal.
In this procedure, the advantages of laparoscopy (see Laparoscopy) and the traditional open prostatectomy are combined. This treatment is carried out at the university hospital of the Saar region.
Attention:
You should ask about the costs before surgery, it is to assume that you must bear a large part of the costs yourself. This surgical treatment is very expensive and the health insurance companies pay only a certain sum. Further should be clarified with the hospital.
Author: J. Land