Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate Cancer Care Made Accessible: India’s Solutions

Prostate cancer is a cancer of the prostate. The prostate is a small walnut-shaped male gland that produces a seminal fluid responsible for nourishing and transporting sperm.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. If it grows slowly and is confined to the prostate gland, it does not cause much harm. On the other hand, if you get an aggressive form of prostate cancer, then it has a chance of spreading.

If you unfortunately have prostate cancer and are looking for treatment options, here we will let you know why Indian hospitals and doctors should be on the top of your list.
But let us first get into details about what prostate cancer is and what are the treatment options available in India to treat it.

What is Prostate Cancer?

Cancer is a disease in which body cells grow out of control. Prostate cancer begins in the cells of the prostate. It is a gland in the male reproductive system and lies just below the urinary bladder. It makes a fluid that is part of semen.

It is one of the most common types of cancer. It grows very slowly and does not spread to other body parts. But sometimes, it takes an aggressive form and spreads to other body parts. This kind of cancer is pretty serious.

Types of Prostate Cancer

The type of prostate cancer tells which kind of cell the cancer started in. The different types of prostate cancers are:

Type 1: Adenocarcinoma of Prostate

Adenocarcinomas develop into the gland cells that surround the prostate gland and the tubes of the prostate gland. It is the most common type of prostate cancer and has two types:

Acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate

Most people have this type. It develops in the gland cells that line the prostate gland.

Ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate

Ductal adenocarcinoma starts in the cells lining the prostate gland’s tubes (ducts). It tends to grow and spread more quickly than acinar adenocarcinoma.

Type 2: Transitional Cell Carcinoma of Prostate

This type of prostate cancer starts in the cells that line the tube carrying urine to the urethra. This type of cancer usually begins in the bladder and then spreads to the prostate. That is why it is sometimes known as urothelial carcinoma of the prostate, too.

Type 3: Squamous cell carcinoma

These cancers develop from flat cells that cover the prostate. It grows and spreads more quickly than adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Type 4: Small Cell Prostate Cancer

It is a rare and quite aggressive form of prostate cancer. It tends to grow quickly and is less responsive to traditional cancer treatments.

Type 5: Sarcomas

It is also rare and can develop from the connective tissue within the prostate gland. It is also an aggressive form of cancer.

Type 6: Neuroendocrine tumors

It is a rare form of cancer that can develop in the prostate and has neuroendocrine cells. It is also an aggressive form of cancer.

Prostate Cancer Causes

Researchers don’t know for sure what causes prostate cancer. They do know that it happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA).

Sometimes, these genetic changes are inherited, meaning you are born with them. Certain genetic changes happen during your lifetime that can raise your risk of prostate cancer. But often, the exact cause of these genetic changes is unknown.

Who is at Risk?

Anyone who has a prostate gland can develop prostate cancer. But certain factors increase your chances of building it:

Age: your chances of getting prostate cancer increase with age. It is rare among people who are under 50 years old.

Family History: Your risk of getting prostate cancer increases if you have a family history of it.

The Risk of Getting Cancer also Depends on the Following:

● Genetic factors
● Race
● Geography
● Hormone levels

Other Possible Factors

While more research is necessary to confirm their involvement, other factors that may influence prostate cancer risk include:

● obesity
● smoking
● alcohol consumption
● exposure to chemicals, such as the herbicide
● inflammation of the prostate
● sexually transmitted infections

Symptoms

The Common Prostate Cancer Symptoms are:

● Trouble urinating
● Blood in urine
● Blood in semen
● Bone pain
● Losing weight
● Erectile dysfunction
● Loss of bladder control
● Burning sensation when you pee

Staging in Prostate Cancer

Staging describes how much cancer is present in the body and how serious it is. The stages of cancer are:

Stage 1: Cancer is only present in the prostate gland
Stage 2: Cancer has not yet spread from the prostate, but the person has high PSA levels
Stage 3: Cancer has spread to nearby tissues
Stage 4: Cancer has spread to different parts of the body

Gleason Score

The Gleason score allows your provider to rate your cancer cells’ abnormality. The more abnormal cells you have, the higher your Gleason score. The Gleason score allows your provider to determine the grade of your cancer or its potential to be aggressive.

Diagnosis

During the diagnosis of prostate cancer, a doctor in India will likely:

● Ask about your symptoms
● Ask about personal and medical history
● Conduct a blood test
● Perform imaging testing
● Carry out urine tests to look for other biomarkers
● Carry out a physical exam, including a digital rectal exam.

Further tests

If the doctor expects cancer, then further tests involve

● Transrectal ultrasound
● Biopsy
● MRI Or CT scan
● PET Scan
● Bone Scan

Complications of prostate cancer

Various complications of prostate cancer are:

Metastatic cancer

Prostate cancer can spread to your nearby organs, like your bladder, or travel through your bloodstream to your bones or other organs. Prostate cancer that spreads to bones can cause broken bones.

Urinary Incontinence

Prostate cancer can cause urinary incontinence. Treatment of incontinence depends on the type of cancer you have and how severe it is.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction can result from prostate cancer, including surgery, radiation, or hormone treatments.

Prostate Cancer Treatments

Immediate treatment may not be necessary.

Low-grade cancers do not need treatment right away. You have to monitor it actively. Regular follow-up exams, blood tests, rectal exams, and biopsies are all you need. If doctors observe a progression in the cancer, then you can go for treatment like surgery or radiation.

Radiation therapy

In radiation therapy, powered radiations are used to kill the cancer cells. Here is how radiation therapy is given to you during prostate cancer:

● External radiation: in this, you will lie on the table while a machine is moved around your body that will direct high energy beams to your prostate cancer.
● Brachytherapy: Brachytherapy involves placing radioactive sources in your prostate tissue. Most often, the radiation is contained in rice-sized radioactive seeds that are inserted into your prostate tissue. The seeds deliver a low dose of radiation over a long period. Brachytherapy is one option for treating cancer that hasn’t spread beyond the prostate.

Cost of radiation in prostate cancer is about $1,400 to $5,600 for the entire course of treatment.

Freezing or heating prostate tissue

● In freezing prostate tissue, a gas is used to freeze it. The tissue is allowed to thaw, and the procedure is repeated till the cancer cells are killed. It is also known as cryotherapy.
● High-intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU) uses ultrasound energy to kill the prostate tissue in heating.

Hormone therapy

In hormone therapy, one of the latest options for treatment of prostate cancer in India,
your body stops producing testosterone, which helps cancer cells grow. Cutting off the supply of testosterone causes cancer cells to die and grow more slowly. It is often used to treat advanced prostate cancer.

Chemotherapy

In chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill rapidly growing cancer cells. It is used when prostate cancer has spread to other parts of your body. It is also used when you do not respond to hormone therapy. Cost of chemotherapy in prostate cancer is around $700 to $2,800 per cycle of treatment.

Immunotherapy
In Immunotherapy, your immune system is used to fight cancer. Your body’s disease-fighting immune system may not attack your cancer because the cancer cells produce proteins that help them hide from the immune system cells. Immunotherapy works by interfering with that process.

Targeted Drug therapy

Targeted therapy relies on the genetic changes that turn healthy cells into cancer cells to prevent them from growing and multiplying. Targeted therapies that treat prostate cancer destroy cancer cells with BRCA gene mutations.

Understanding Surgical options to treat prostate cancer

Surgical options involve treating prostate cancer by removing a part or all of the prostate gland. Here are the main surgical options used in India to treat prostate cancer:

Radical Prostatectomy

In radical prostatectomy, the entire prostate gland, along with the nearby tissues, is removed. It is performed in the following ways:

Open Radical Prostatectomy

It is a traditional procedure in which an incision is made to access the prostate gland. The incision is made between the scrotum and the anus.

Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy

India has the best robotic system for prostate cancer. It is a minimally invasive procedure in which robots perform the surgery. Several small incisions are used to access the abdomen, and this type of surgery has a fast recovery time and fewer complications as compared to the traditional ones. Cost of robotic prostate surgery in India is around 9000 USD.

Laparoscopic Radical prostatectomy

It is similar to robotic surgery, but robots are not used in this type. The surgeon performs the procedure using long, thin instruments through small incisions in the abdomen.

Side effects of the treatment

The potential side effects of prostate cancer treatment are:

● Urinary Incontinence
● Erectile Dysfunction
● Infertility
● Bowel problems
● Bone health issues
● Anxiety and depression

How to avoid prostate cancer?

You can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by making the following changes in your lifestyle:

● Choose a diet full of fruits and vegetables
● Choose healthy foods over supplements
● Exercise when you can
● Maintain healthy weight
● Quit smoking
● Get regular prostate screenings

Prognosis

Your outlook is excellent if your healthcare provider detects prostate cancer early. Almost everyone — 99% — diagnosed with cancer that hasn’t spread outside the prostate can survive at least five years.

Prostate cancer survival rate is not good when the cancer spreads outside the prostate gland. Thirty-two percent of people with metastatic prostate cancer are alive five years later.

Is prostate cancer curable?

Yes, prostate cancer is curable if it is caught at an early stage.

Best Doctors for prostate cancer in india

● Dr Rajesh Ahlawat– Robotic Urological Cancer & Kidney Transplant Surgeon At Medanta, Total Experience – 39 years
● Dr Ananat Kumar: Robotic Urological Cancer & Kidney Transplant Surgeon At Max Hospital, Total Experience – 35 years

● Dr Sanjay Gogoi: Robotic Urological Cancer & Kidney Transplant Surgeon At Manipal Hospital, Total Experience – 20 years
● Dr Anil Mandhani: Urology, Robotic Surgery, Uro-oncology and Robotic Surgery, Urology & Renal Transplant (Executive Director) At FMRI Gurugram, Total Experience – 33 years
● Dr Rajesh Taneja: Urologist, Apollo Hospitals, Delhi
● Dr Abhinandan Mukopadhyay: Urologist, Urological Surgeon, Sexologist – Artemis Hospitals

Cost of Prostate Cancer Surgery in India –

● Robotic – 9000 usd
● Laparoscopic – 6500 usd

How can you avail yourself of the best Prostate Cancer Treatment in India?

Cross Border Care is here for you if you are looking for trustworthy treatment consultants in India. We will help you find the best doctor in India and get your treatment done for JCI-accredited hospitals at the most pocket-friendly rates. Our team includes experienced medical professionals with you at each treatment step. So, if you are planning your prostate cancer treatment in India, fill out the form below, and we will help you choose the best doctor and hospital providing state-of-the-art technology.

We will help you to find the best Prostate Cancer Treatment Doctors in India.