The treatment for prostate cancer depends on a number of factors, such as the overall health of the patient, the rate at which the tumor grows, and whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Listed below are some of the treatment methods for prostate cancer.

1. Surgery
This is one of the common treatment methods for prostate cancer and a few other forms of cancer. In prostate cancer, a radical prostatectomy is performed. In this procedure, the prostate gland, along with a few lymph nodes and surrounding tissue, is removed. This option is used to treat cancer that is present only in the prostate. It can also be used to treat advanced stages of prostate cancer along with other treatment methods.
The surgery can be performed in two ways:

• Laparoscopic prostatectomy
  In this method, a robot or mechanical device is used. This is a common surgical method to treat prostate cancer. This procedure is performed by making several small incisions in the abdomen.
• Retropubic surgery
  In this, the surgeon makes one long incision in the lower abdomen to remove the prostate.

2. Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is yet another well-known treatment method for prostate cancer and other types of cancer. It involves the use of high-powered energy rays to destroy cancer cells.
It can be of two types:

• External beam radiation
  This is when the radiation source is outside the body.
• Brachytherapy
  This is where the radioactive source, which is the size of a grain of rice, is placed near the prostate. These provide low doses of radiation over a period of time to destroy cancer cells. This is mostly used to treat cancer that is confined to the prostate.

3. Ablative therapies
This involves the use of heat or cold.

• Cryoablation or cryotherapy involves the use of a very cold gas to freeze prostate tissue. The cycle of freezing and thawing destroys the cancer cells.
• Heat or high-intensity-focused ultrasound is used to get rid of cancerous cells.

4. Hormone therapy
Another one of the treatment methods for prostate cancer is to stop the body from producing the male hormone, testosterone, which helps the cancer cells to grow. This could involve medications to stop the body from producing the hormone or prevent the hormone from reaching the cancer cells. Sometimes, surgery is also used to remove the testicles.

5. Chemotherapy
In this treatment option, medications that kill cancer cells are administered orally or intravenously.

6. Immunotherapy
Prostate cancer cells are able to evade the body’s immune system by producing a protein that keeps them hidden. This process works to disrupt the production of the protein. This could involve and boost the immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells.

7. Targeted drug therapy
By blocking certain abnormalities in the cancer cells, this form of treatment helps to destroy them.

These are some of the effective treatment methods for prostate cancer.