When is surgery the best treatment for prostate cancer?
In general, prostate cancer surgery is best performed in patients with clinical stage T1 or T2 prostate cancer (confined to the prostate gland) and in selected men with clinical stage T3 disease. While there are no absolute cut-offs, men with a PSA level less than 20 and a Gleason score of less than eight have a higher likelihood of cure. In certain circumstances, patients with more serious parameters are offered surgery. Prostate cancer surgery is usually restricted to men who are healthy enough to tolerate a major operation and have a 10-year or more life expectancy. Life expectancy is assessed by both patient age and health. What are some risk factors associated with prostate cancer surgery? As with all operations, there may be complications of radical prostatectomy; some occurring early and some late. Bleeding can occur in any major operation. Some surgeons recommend that the patient donate his own blood before surgery or receive a blood-stimulating hormone (Epogen, EPO) to boost h
