Treatment for prostate cancer

There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your health when preparing for treatment. This is called prehabilitation or prehab.

Your specialist doctor discusses whether you need treatment, and what your treatment options are. Treatment options might include surgery or radiotherapy.

You might have active surveillance if you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer that doesn't need treatment straight away. Watchful waiting is another way of monitoring your cancer.

Surgery is one of the main treatments for prostate cancer. You usually have a radical prostatectomy. This means removing the whole of the prostate gland.

Radiotherapy uses high energy waves similar to x-rays to kill prostate cancer cells. You might have external beam radiotherapy or internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy).

Prostate cancer usually depends on testosterone to grow. Hormone therapy blocks or lowers the amount of testosterone in the body.

Chemotherapy is a common treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. The most common type is docetaxel. You usually have it together with hormone therapy.

Your cancer might come back after treatment to try to cure it. This is called recurrent or relapsed cancer. There are different treatment options.

Cryotherapy uses extreme cold to destroy cancer cells. It isn't a common treatment for prostate cancer and is only available in the UK in specific centres or as part of a clinical trial.

HIFU uses high frequency sound waves to destroy prostate cancer cells. It isn't a common treatment for prostate cancer. It is only available in specific centres or as part of a clinical trial.

After treatment for prostate cancer, you have regular check ups. This includes tests to check your PSA level.

Metastatic prostate cancer has spread to other parts of your body. Treatment options include chemotherapy and hormone therapy.