Seeds to Consider After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Advice On Treatment Alternatives


October 21, 2004 -- Unlike their female counterparts who are proactively involved in their breast cancer treatment, men often fail to be fully informed of the treatment options for their prostate cancer prior to making a decision because they do not seek a second opinion.

Prostate cancer patients opting for radical prostatectomy as recommended by their urologist, may be suitable candidates for less invasive procedures according to Dr. Kirk Kanady, Medical Director of Houston Prostate Cancer Centers.

Innovative treatments are making it possible for men to live long and healthy lives following their diagnosis. The current treatment options for prostate cancer include: cryotherapy, radical prostatectomy (surgical removal), external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy (seed implants).

"To be fully informed a prostate cancer patient should see a Urologist to discuss surgical options but and also see a Radiation Oncologist to discuss external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy," said Dr. Kanady.

When appropriate, a Radiation Oncologist may advise a patient about brachytherapy, a popular minimally invasive procedure with equivalent cancer control rates to surgery says Dr. Kanady. Commonly referred to as radiation "seed" implants, brachytherapy involves implanting rice-sized radioactive pellets into the prostate gland to kill cancerous cells.

Such products as Implant Science's I-Plant(TM) seeds are used in a unique "inside-out" radioactive treatment. The implant procedure, in expert hands, takes about 30 minutes, and the patients normally return home the same day.

The best candidates for brachytherapy are those with early stage prostate cancer, but studies have demonstrated excellent results in patients with more aggressive cancers.

A recent study presented at the American College of Surgeons demonstrated that implanting brachytherapy seeds into the prostates of men who have undergone external radiation and now have recurrent prostate cancer is safe and effective. Doctors initially believed too much radiation would cause undue harm to the surrounding tissue.

In the end, the study concluded that there were no major complications from the brachytherapy procedure. Four years later, 70% of the men were free of prostate cancer.

"Brachytherapy is a viable option for my patients. The cure rate is high and the long-term side effects are less intrusive on a patient's quality of life," says Dr. Kanady.

For more information on brachytherapy, log onto: www.implantsciences.com or www.prostatecancerexperts.com




Seeds to Consider After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Advice On Treatment Alternatives



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