Prostate Cancer: What Are Your Treatment Options?

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Singapore, and the good news is that there are multiple effective prostate cancer treatment Singapore options tailored to the stage of cancer, overall health, and personal preferences. Understanding these treatment choices can help patients make informed decisions in collaboration with their healthcare providers.

1. Active Surveillance

Often recommended for men with early-stage, low-risk prostate cancer, active surveillance involves closely monitoring the cancer without immediate treatment. This includes regular PSA blood tests, digital rectal exams, biopsies, and imaging. The goal is to avoid or delay treatment side effects while keeping cancer under control. Treatment is initiated only if there are signs of progression.

2. Surgery (Prostatectomy)

Surgery to remove the prostate gland, known as radical prostatectomy, is a common curative approach for localized prostate cancer. In Singapore, many surgeries use robot-assisted laparoscopic techniques, offering precision with smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, and less blood loss. Surgery may also remove nearby tissue and lymph nodes depending on cancer spread.

3. Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy targets cancer cells using high-energy beams or internal radioactive seeds:

• External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT): Delivers focused radiation to the prostate over several weeks.
• Brachytherapy: Involves implanting radioactive seeds directly into the prostate for internal radiation.

Radiation is suitable for early-stage cancers or as a complement to surgery or hormone therapy. Advanced techniques like VMAT and proton therapy help minimize side effects in Singapore’s cancer care centers.

4. Hormone Therapy (Androgen Deprivation Therapy – ADT)

Prostate cancer growth often depends on testosterone. Hormone therapy lowers testosterone levels to slow cancer progression. It is used for locally advanced or metastatic cancer and sometimes combined with radiation therapy. Hormone therapy can be administered as injections or oral medications.

5. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells and is usually reserved for advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy. It may have side effects like fatigue, nausea, and hair loss.

Choosing the Right Treatment

Choosing the best treatment depends on:

• Cancer stage and aggressiveness.
• Patient age, health status, and other medical conditions.
• Potential side effects and quality of life considerations.
• Patient preferences and lifestyle.

Singapore’s multidisciplinary cancer teams including urologists, oncologists, radiologists, and palliative care experts work together to design personalized treatment plans to optimize outcomes.

Disclaimer: The content for this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your oncologist with any questions regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking it based on information from this site.