Treatment by Stage Information

Stage III (C) Prostate Cancer

Treatment may be one of the following:

1. Hormone therapy.
2. Radiation therapy. Hormone therapy may be given in addition to the radiation therapy.
3. Surgery to remove the prostate and the tissue around it (radical prostatectomy). Usually some of the lymph nodes in the pelvis are also removed (pelvic lymph node dissection). Radiation therapy may be given following surgery.
4. A doctor may follow the patient's condition closely without treatment.
The doctor may choose this option because the cancer is not causing any symptoms or other problems, and may be growing slowly.

If the patient is unable to have surgery or radiation therapy to cure the disease, palliative treatments (treatments to relieve the symptoms caused by the cancer, such as problems urinating) may be given. In this case, treatment may be one of the following:

1. Radiation therapy.
2. Hormone therapy.
3. Surgery to cut the cancer from the prostate using a tool with a small wire loop on the end that is put into the prostate through the urethra (transurethral resection).
4. Placing radioactive substances in or around the tumor.
5. A clinical trial of new techniques of radiation therapy.
6. Other clinical trials.
7. A clinical trial that involves freezing the cancer using small probes (cryosurgery).