prostate cancer treatment - Prostatectomy

January 12, 2005 (Press Release) -- Prostatectomy

Prostatectomy is the surgical removal of the prostate. A radical prostatectomy can be performed to remove the cancer from the prostate and from nearby areas where the cancer has spread. This type of surgery may help prevent further spread of the cancer.

Prostatectomy may be used alone or in combination with hormonal therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer. It is most often used during early stages (Stages T1 and T2), when prostate cancer is located only within the prostate.

If the tumor is small and has not spread outside of the prostate, then surgery may optimally treat the disease. In some cases it may be used to treat locally advanced disease (Stages T3 and T4). However, complete surgical removal of the prostate is not common when the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other sites.