Prostate Cancer Treatment & Investigational Approaches

Our Prostate Nomogram

Our Prostate Nomogram helps physicians and patients decide which treatment will result in the greatest benefit

Memorial Sloan-Kettering's physicians develop a fully individualized treatment plan for each patient based on a complete picture of his disease -- the severity of his cancer and the risks it poses, his life expectancy, other medical conditions, lifestyle considerations, and personal preferences. Treatment options vary a great deal depending on the patient. They range from watchful waiting to surgery.

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Getting the correct diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment from the start is crucial

Our doctors make sure that each patient thoroughly understands factors such as the stage and grade of his tumor and the range of treatment options, as well as the potential side effects of each therapy. Doctors here can guide patients through the sometimes complicated choices posed by these factors and are refining this decision-making process through a clinical trial to assess patients' quality of life after treatment.

In this section, you can learn about the most up-to-date treatment options offered here at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

Watchful Waiting
If a patient's prostate cancer is not advanced and is slow growing, he may not need immediate treatment. Based on the characteristics of a patient's cancer, physicians at Memorial Sloan-Kettering may recommend to the patient that they watch the cancer closely and defer treatment for the time being.
Surgery
To treat prostate cancer, surgeons generally remove the prostate (a procedure called radical prostatectomy), as well as some tissue surrounding it, and usually remove a sample of the lymph nodes in nearby tissue to determine whether the cancer has spread beyond the prostate.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Minimally invasive surgery is commonly used to treat prostate cancer. Nearly half of all radical prostatectomy operations at Memorial Sloan-Kettering each year are performed laparoscopically.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapists use high-energy rays delivered by external beam (similar to an x-ray) or brachytherapy (implanted radioactive seeds) to treat prostate cancer.
Systemic and Hormonal Therapies
Treatment usually includes hormonal therapy and/or chemotherapy, often in combination with radiation or surgery.
Investigational Approaches
Research protocols involving the study of investigational approaches are sometimes offered to eligible patients through the clinical trial process.

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