How is prostate cancer treated?

The team considers PSA results, biopsy grade, scans, whether the cancer is confined to the prostate, symptoms, age, other health conditions, and personal preferences. A slower-growing cancer may be monitored with planned tests and reviews. Localised disease may be treated with prostate removal surgery or radiotherapy; surgery can sometimes be performed with robotic assistance.

More advanced disease may need hormone treatment, chemotherapy, targeted medicines, or other systemic treatment. If cancer has spread to bone, care may include bone-strengthening therapy, pain control, radiotherapy, and treatment that controls the prostate cancer. A BRCA gene mutation may affect discussions about inherited risk and medicine choices.

Ask the urology or oncology team to explain the grade, stage, expected effects, and alternatives in plain language. Before prostate removal surgery, discuss urinary control, sexual function, fertility, catheter care, and recovery. If monitoring is recommended, keep every scheduled PSA test and review.

Report new urinary difficulty, worsening bone pain, leg weakness, or blood in the urine. Do not assume a urinary symptom identifies cancer; it can have several causes.

Seek urgent help for inability to pass urine, severe back pain with leg weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, fever after a procedure, or heavy bleeding. Contact the team promptly for persistent blood in the urine, new bone pain, or rapidly changing symptoms so complications can be assessed.

Ask: What are my stage and grade? Is monitoring reasonable? What are the urinary, sexual, and bowel effects of each option? Would surgery, radiotherapy, or medicines be used first? Should I consider genetic testing? How will follow-up be organised?