Stage 4 prostate cancer

When someone has stage 4 prostate cancer, it means the cancer has spread beyond the prostate to other parts of the body.

There are several treatment options to help manage the cancer:

1. Hormone Therapy (Androgen Deprivation Therapy): This treatment lowers testosterone levels in the body because testosterone can help cancer grow. By reducing it, the cancer may grow more slowly.
2. Chemotherapy: This involves using strong medicines to kill cancer cells. It is often used alongside hormone therapy, especially when the cancer has spread a lot.
3. External Beam Radiation Therapy: This treatment uses high-energy rays to target and kill cancer cells. It can be used to treat the main tumor in the prostate and to relieve pain if the cancer has spread to the bones.
4. Newer Hormone Drugs: There are newer medications like abiraterone, apalutamide, enzalutamide, and darolutamide. These drugs also help lower the effect of testosterone on cancer.
5. Bisphosphonate Therapy: This treatment involves drugs like denosumab and zoledronic acid that help make the bones stronger and lower the chances of bone fractures caused by the cancer.
6. Radiopharmaceuticals: These are radioactive drugs like Radium-223, Strontium-89, and Samarium-153 that specifically target and kill cancer cells in the bones.

In some cases, surgery might be used to help with problems like difficulty urinating or bleeding, but it’s not a common treatment for cancer that has spread.

There are also alternative treatments available for individuals who haven’t found success with conventional medicine. While standard treatments like surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy are commonly used, many patients are now exploring alternative options for prostate cancer. 

These approaches offer new hope, especially for those looking for treatments with potentially fewer side effects or for whom traditional methods haven’t been effective.

Some examples of alternative treatments include Hyperthermia, Dendritic Cell Therapy, and CyberKnife.

Additionally, certain repurposed medications, such as statins, metformin, and mifepristone, are being utilized.

Supplements like Vitamin D are also commonly used in these alternative approaches.

To learn more about various alternative treatment options,  you can speak with an advisor. https://healnavigator.com/speak-with-an-advisor/