National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
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Treatment Choices for Men With Early-Stage Prostate Cancer
    Posted: 02/14/2006
4. What are the benefits of this treatment option?

Watchful Waiting

There are no side effects to manage such as bladder or bowel control or impotence.

You can decide to begin treatment at any time.

Surgery

Prostate cancer cells are removed.

Radiation Therapy

External Beam Radiation

  • No hospital stay
  • No anesthesia risk
  • May have fewer urine problems than with surgery
  • Similar effectiveness to surgery over a 10-year period.

Brachytherapy or Seed Implants

  • No hospital stay
  • Can be easier on your body than surgery
  • Less damage to the rectum and surrounding tissue than external beam radiation.

Both types of radiation can be used together (placing radioactive seeds internally and using external beam radiation to kill any cancer that may be close to the prostate) or with hormone therapy.

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Table of Links

1http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/prostate-cancer-treatment-choices/page7
2http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/prostate-cancer-treatment-choices/page4
3http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/prostate-cancer-treatment-choices/page9