Advanced Prostate Cancer Sufferers Could Soon Be Able To Have A Short Chemotherapy Break - By: Don Saunders

Once prostate cancer has moved out of the prostate gland and spread into other areas of your body it is classed as advanced prostate cancer and treatment becomes far more difficult than when the disease is confined to the prostate.

Where prostate cancer has not spread too far and is not particularly aggressive it is still possible not simply to treat it but in fact to cure it. In many cases however where the disease is widespread, or is especially aggressive, treatment becomes a case of merely holding back the progression of the disease and giving you the best quality of life possible.

Today one of the principle treatments for cases of advanced prostate cancer is intravenous chemotherapy often using a drug known as docetaxal. Docetaxal is a particularly effective drug for a lot of people and it does indeed slow the progression of prostate cancer and extend the life of a significant number of people. But, it does have its side effects that include such things as nausea, hair loss, loss of appetite and a greater risk of infection. It is here therefore that we run into one of the biggest problems in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

When you are dealing with a condition that cannot be cured and that will kill you sooner or later, then lengthening your life by slowing down the progress of the condition is good provided that treatment gives you an acceptable quality of life and does not end up being worse than the condition itself.

For a significant number of prostate cancer sufferers, who are normally in their 60s, 70s or even 80s, chemotherapy is not exactly pleasant but it is a price that is worth paying when they first begin their treatment. However, as the treatment progresses and the side effects begin to build the picture often alters and a lot of patients start to question whether or not it is all worth it. This of course is never an easy question to answer and must be the subject of a discussion between the patient, his family and his physician.

Many of us will be familiar with this picture either as a result of our own personal experience of illness or from our experience of seeing a family member of close friend in this situation and know only too well just how difficult a time it can be.

Now, however, there may be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel because studies involving a sizeable group of patients with metastatic, androgen-independent prostate cancer indicate that a lot of people may be able to take a 'chemo holiday' without any significant harm to their treatment. Put another way, following a number of weeks of chemo, and at a time when the side effects are really staring to get you down, you may be able to simply stop your chemo for a time and let your body recover a little before going on with your treatment.

Naturally it is early days yet and nobody is exactly sure yet precisely how long your 'chemo holidays' might be or how often you can take them, but for many advanced prostate cancer sufferers this seemingly small advance in treatment may make all the difference in the world.

About the Author

ProstateProblemCenter.com provides information on a wide variety of prostate problems including such things as the therapeutic use of prostate milking

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Don-Saunders/17211

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